


Serenity

by ElhiniPrime



Category: Tron - All Media Types, Tron: Evolution, Tron: Legacy (2010), Tron: Uprising
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-18
Updated: 2015-03-20
Packaged: 2018-03-02 00:38:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 46,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2793422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElhiniPrime/pseuds/ElhiniPrime
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Before the Virus, Jalen and Radia's life was perfect. It was made even more so by the arrival of a special ISO child. The First Child ISO. Her name...we all know it. Because the future of the ISOs rests in her hands. Pre-Evolution through Post-Legacy. Slight Quorra/Anon.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Welcome To The Grid

The chilling, pain-filled cry shattered the stillness of the city, making its denizens look up in slight worry. This was something that none of them had expected. There had been rumors of course about the two leaders of their city, of their people, but no one truly knew.

Meanwhile, within the Hub, Jalen paced back and forth in front of the doors. It had been several, _several_ long hours…or so that was the term he had been told.

"Jalen, man, you're going to wear a rut in the floor," a dark garbed, blond haired man chuckled.

The dark haired Jalen turned his bright, ice-blue gaze to the man, slightly annoyed and slightly fearful.

A reddish-brown haired man put a hand on Jalen's shoulder.

"Don't mind him, Jalen," the second man reassured him, "Flynn's just being…Flynn,"

Jalen's eyes flicked towards Flynn and the User smirked.

"And Tron's being the usual killjoy," he teased, "Jalen, she'll be fine. Trust me, I was in your shoes once,"

"Oh, really?" Jalen demanded, while Tron looked mildly confused, "How is this situation like anything you've been through?"

Tron gave an understanding tilt of his head while Flynn laughed. Jalen and his counterpart, Radia, had both been given extensive knowledge of the User world. More than Tron had in any case.

"I should have you meet Jordan," Flynn smirked, "She'd tell you _all_ sorts of things. And maybe while I'm at it, I'll show you to Sam,"

"Three Flynns on the Grid, Clu won't like that very well," Jalen teased, "Keeping track of one of you is bad enough!"

Flynn shrugged while Tron shook his head.

Jalen gave a wicked grin.

"He doesn't know you're here…does he?" he asked.

"Well…no…not exactly,"

"If by 'not exactly' you mean thinking he's in Argon investigating a collapse in the city, then yes, Jalen, he doesn't," Tron deadpanned.

Jalen laughed…right as an ear-piercing shriek emitted from the room. The ISO's ice-blue eyes widened and he leapt forwards, only to be caught in the firm, iron-strong grips of the System Monitor standing next to him and the User who seemed to materialize at Jalen's side.

"Jalen, _chill_!" Flynn ordered, "She's fine,"

"Why do I have the feeling that you were just as bad if not worse when Sam was born, Flynn?" Tron asked.

"Oh, you think _I_ was bad? You should have seen _Alan_ when _his_ kid was born!" Flynn growled as Jalen lunged again, "Took me and Roy _both_ to hold him back…and even then he banged his head on the hospital doors!"

"Alan-One couldn't _possibly_ …"

"Tron, I was there. I saw," Flynn deadpanned, "God forbid _you_ have a kid…if Yori went into labor I dunno _what_ you would do. It'd probably take five security Programs, me _and_ Clu to hold you back,"

"Yori and I aren't ready," Tron growled, "The System's dangerous enough…I don't want to see what would happen to my child if a rogue decided they wanted to test themselves,"

There was another scream…which abruptly quit, being replaced with a high-pitched wail. Jalen froze, circuits flashing dimly as the door opened and the ISO medic, Amelia, came out.

She gave a slight bow to the three males and then looked up at Jalen.

"She's ready for you," Amelia said softly, "She's tired…but she asked to see you,"

"Thank you, Amelia," Flynn said, nudging a speechless Jalen forwards, "Go on, man, we'll join you in a bit,"

The stunned ISO leader looked back to Flynn, who motioned for him to go on. Jalen put a trembling, pale hand on the door, the smooth circuits on his skin pulsing slightly as he pushed it open.

He carefully made his way into the room and he stopped, staring at the female ISO on the bed.

Her headdress had been derezzed, revealing her long, rippling, raven-black locks that streamed to the small of her back. Her honey colored gaze looked tiredly up into the ice-blue one of her counterpart. The circuits under her eyes and full lips brightened slightly as she smiled and looked down into the bundle of white cloth in her arms.

"Ophelia," Jalen started, then reminded himself that she had changed her name, "Radia…"

"Jalen," Radia smiled, "Come and meet our daughter,"

The male ISO carefully padded closer to her, his strides agile and precise, reminding Radia of the comment she heard a Basic say many cycles ago.

If Jalen wasn't an ISO, they would have thought him a Basic System Monitor.

It _was_ true. Jalen learned the quickest and the most under Tron, but his shy nature almost always prevented him from throwing himself into a serious, non-teaching conversation with the Monitor.

Radia shifted on the bed, showing her counterpart a clearer view of their daughter. Jalen's ice-blue eyes sparkled happily.

The child had the dark hair that both her parents shared, but her pale skin and icy blue eyes reflected Jalen almost perfectly while her facial structure resembled Radia's just as perfectly.

"She is beautiful," Jalen murmured, gently touching the child's palm and smiling as her tiny hand closed around his fingertip.

"Her name is Quorra," Radia told him.

"It is a beautiful and fitting name," Jalen murmured.

The child, Quorra, reached up, patting Jalen's nose, her ice-blue eyes wide with curiosity and wonder. Jalen gave a warm smile and Radia shifted so that Quorra was lifted higher.

"You can hold her, Jalen, I promise she won't break," Radia murmured.

Jalen gently took the child from his beloved's arms, holding Quorra close to him, feeling the gentle pulse of her energy throb beneath the circuits on her skin. Quorra reached up and patted Jalen's cheek, smiling and making Jalen's core warm brightly.

"Is it safe to come in?" came a clear voice from the door.

Radia's tired honey colored gaze sparkled slightly as she tilted her head up.

"You can come in, Flynn, Tron," she told them, "There's someone Jalen and I want you to meet,"

The Monitor and User carefully entered the room as Jalen handed Quorra back to Radia. The female ISO leader looked up at the two newcomers and shifted so that Quorra was plainly visible.

Flynn's sky colored eyes were alight with wonder as he knelt down at the side of the bed, staring at the tiny child in the ISO's arms in wonder. Tron gave a soft smile, it wasn't often he got to see what they called 'Child Programs'. He'd seen a few Child Basics in his runtime, but even they were rare and far between. A Child ISO…

Quorra was the first…the first _anyone_ had seen.

"Radia…she is beautiful," Tron said softly, steel-blue eyes scanning over the child and her mother, as well as the father who had his hand on Radia's shoulder.

"A miracle," Flynn breathed, looking up at Radia as if for permission.

Radia handed the child to the User, who gingerly took her.

"What's her name?" Flynn asked.

"Quorra," Jalen replied, "Her name is Quorra,"

"Hey, Quorra," Flynn smiled, gently touching the downy black hair that covered the baby's head, "Welcome to the Grid,"


	2. Sneaking Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quorra is the equivalent of a one or two-year old in this chapter.

The Nexus glowed with brilliant light as Radia closed her eyes, letting the energies swirl around her, giving her everything she wanted to know about the system.

She cracked her eyes open and saw the tiny form of her daughter kneeling down in front of the Nexus, her blue eyes closed.

Radia reclosed her eyes and sifted through the information once again.

Quorra was bored. The Child ISO had been sitting in front of the Nexus for a long time…waiting for her mother to finish up and take her to Tron City to explore.

The young ISO closed her eyes again, nearly falling asleep…

"Psst! Quorra!"

Quorra cracked open an icy-blue eye and looked towards the corner…just to see her father's tall, slender form peeking out from behind a pillar.

"Come on!" Jalen grinned.

"Daddy!" Quorra whispered, "I can't weave Mommy, she pwomised she'd take me to Twon City!"

Jalen grinned, motioning to her.

"What your mother doesn't know, won't hurt her," Jalen chuckled, holding out his arms.

Quorra closed an eye, casting a look towards her mother…before getting up off the floor and toddling towards her father.

Jalen swept her up in his arms and set her on his shoulder, his own ice-blue gaze sparkling as he looked at his daughter.

"See, that wasn't so bad," Jalen purred softly as he and Quorra walked towards the Solar Sailer docks, "Right?"

"Wight!" Quorra chirped, throwing up her tiny arms as Jalen laughed.

Jalen grabbed the railing of the Solar Sailer and swung himself and Quorra onto the car.

"Daddy?" Quorra asked, "Where we goin'?"

"Thought I'd take you to go see the capitol," Jalen smiled, "Just like your mother said…but I'd do it quicker,"

* * *

01110011 01101110 01100101 01100001 01101011 01101001 01101110 01100111 00100000 01101111 01110101 01110100

* * *

"It was all your fault!"

"Like the Void it was!"

"Was so!"

"Was _not_!"

A white Disk flared and sang into the area, clanging into the two Disks and knocking them from their owners' hands.

The two squabbling Security Programs froze as the white garbed Monitor tapped his foot impatiently.

"Reeve, Hayden, is there a _problem_?" Tron growled.

"No!" Hayden squeaked before clearing his throat, "No, there's no problem sir!"

"Except for the fact that you let in a little swarm of Gridbugs," Reeve muttered under his breath, earning him a swift jab in the ribs from Hayden and an unamused look from Tron.

" _Gridbugs_?" the Monitor asked, "And you haven't destroyed them yet?"

"Well…we have to find them first," Reeve explained, "Sir,"

"I trained you both personally and you can't find a little swarm of Gridbugs," Tron deadpanned, looking very serious…but there was a hint of humor in his steel-blue eyes.

The two Programs opened their mouths to answer when…

"Unca TWON!" came the sweet, high-pitched voice as something rammed into Tron's legs.

The Monitor looked down to see a dark-haired, white garbed ISO child clinging to him, looking up at him with brilliant, ice-blue eyes and a wide grin.

Tron chuckled as he leaned down and detached said child from his legs, tossing her up into the air with a playful roar before catching her, laying her on the floor and tickling her.

"Ah! Hehe! Unca Twon!" Quorra squealed," Hehe! Stop eet!"

Tron gave a laugh and whirled her up to his shoulder before looking at her.

"Hello, Quorra," he rumbled softly, "How are you?"

"I _good_!" she chirped, beaming as her father ran up, his white cloak flapping behind him as he gasped and sputtered for breath, "Hi Daddy!"

"Thank you…Tron…" Jalen gasped, leaning over on his knees, trying to catch his breath, "She…got away…from me…"

Tron raised an eyebrow at Quorra and set the girl down on the ground, letting her scamper back to her father.

Jalen picked her up and shook a finger at her.

"You, little one, don't _ever_ do that to me again," he ordered, "I thought I lost you,"

"Sowwy, Daddy," Quorra mumbled, "I saw Unca Twon an' I had to say 'hi'!"

"You _never_ let go of mine or your mother's hand when you're in the city," Jalen told her, "You could get lost,"

Quorra stuck out her bottom lip, blue eyes sad. Jalen closed an eye.

"That doesn't work on me little one," he growled.

The Child ISO flicked her ice-blue gaze up to her father and her lip trembled. Jalen's resolve started to crumble. Quorra sensed it and went for the kill.

She batted her long eyelashes and 'tears' welled up in her eyes.

And Jalen melted into Quorra's hands.

The Alpha-Class ISO sighed, shaking his head.

"I can't stay mad at you for some reason," he grumbled, "I'm starting to think you inherited _that_ from your mother,"

Tron gave a soft laugh and turned to the two Basics, who were still staring at the ISOs.

"Don't you two have a Gridbug swarm you need to find?" he asked calmly, yet with an edge of steel that begged no question.

The two nearly fell over one another before racing out the door. Tron shook his head.

"It's so hard to find good help," he sighed, "I should have more Programs like you, Jalen, than these others. Reeve and Hayden are good, but I've seen better,"

"Oh…no, no you don't want me in S-Security," Jalen stammered, shaking his head, "I-I'd b-be very bad at it,"

"I've seen you fight, Jalen, you're very good," Tron told him, "Much better than most Basics I've seen,"

Jalen ducked his head, his cheeks flaring a pale scarlet as Tron gave a light smile.

"Daddy fight?" Quorra chirped, "Daddy teach me?"

Jalen looked up at his little girl.

"Maybe when you're older," he told her.

"Awww!" Quorra whined.

"Your Disk is bigger than _you_ are!" Tron teased, poking Quorra in the stomach lightly, making her giggle, "I'll tell you what, when you're older, I'll teach you if your Daddy says it's ok,"

"Weally!?" Quorra squealed.

Tron gave a nod and Quorra whirled on her father.

"Pwease, Daddy? _Pwease_!" Quorra begged, yanking on her father's cloak and nearly making him choke.

"Ow! Ok!" Jalen chuckled, "I'll teach you what little I know and then I'll turn you over to Tron. How's that?"

"Yay!"

There was a tinkling sound and Quorra's head shot up, eyes bright as a Bit wandered into the room.

"Bit!" she squealed, pointing a chubby hand at the tiny creature.

 _"Yes!"_ Bit chirped.

Jalen gave a wicked grin.

"Quorra, go play with it," he told her as he sat her on the ground.

Quorra gave a high pitched squeal and toddled over to the Bit as fast as her little legs could get her.

 _"No!"_ Bit squawked as Quorra tried to jump up and grab it, _"NO!"_

Jalen gave a loud laugh while Tron chuckled at Quorra's antics.

"You'd be a good father, Tron," Jalen told him, "You're good with kids,"

"When the time comes," Tron nodded, "For now, I'm content to watch over them,"

"And play with them when you get the chance…?" Jalen smirked.

"I wasn't 'playing'," Tron growled defensively, "I was showing her a new…technique…of…of…"

"You were playing, Dear," came a female voice, making Tron freeze and his circuits light up almost blindingly bright.

"Hello, Yori," Jalen called.

"Hello, Jalen," Yori smiled, coming over to Tron, putting her own white-clad arms over his shoulders.

Tron turned his head towards her.

"Shouldn't you be working on the Solar Sailer?" he asked.

"I got done," Yori shrugged, watching as Quorra managed to snag one of the Bit's pointy edges, only to yelp as it became more of a spine.

The Child ISO burst into tears and ran to her father, showing him her injury. Jalen knelt down, his white robe pooling on the ground as he did and he looked at the gleaming blue code that sparkled in Quorra's hand. He picked her up and pressed his lips to it, reassuring her that it would feel better in a bit.

"Yori…I know that look," Tron warned.

"I want one," the Simulations Program murmured, "Is that so bad?"

"Not until the System's a little safer," Tron reminded her, "I'd rather have them safe than be killed,"

Yori gave a sigh and nodded, leaning her head into Tron's shoulder.

"Fine," she muttered, "But we _are_ going to have a child. I'm not taking a no for an answer,"

"And I'd love to give you one," Tron told her, "Just not yet,"

Suddenly, Jalen stood, holding Quorra tightly as the doors banged open.

"There you are!" a male ISO yelled, storming into the room.

"Hello, Giles," Jalen sighed, "Finished tormenting Radia today?"

" _Radia_ is the one who sent me here to find you," Giles snapped, "She's been worried about you both!"

"She knew _exactly_ where I was," Jalen said calmly, "Hence why you're _here_ instead of Gallium,"

Jalen turned to Tron.

"The best part about having a counterpart who sees everything is that she can tell you anything," he said, "The worst part…you can't pull _anything_ over her,"

"Am I in twouble?" Quorra asked meekly.

"No," Jalen told her, tapping her nose, "If anyone's in trouble…it'd be me,"

He turned back to Tron and Yori, giving a small wave.

"See you both soon, I hope," Jalen said.

Quorra waved her small hands, a big smile gracing her face.

"Bye Unca Twon! Bye Auntie Yowi!" she chirped, holding onto her father's shoulder as they walked past Giles…

And Quorra stuck out her tongue at him.

"Quorra…" Jalen warned, making Quorra suck said tongue back into her mouth.

But he was grinning as he said it.


	3. Signs and Portents

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quorra's a few cycles older than she was in the last chapter.

Quorra looked wide-eyed at the city around her as she followed both her parents and their entourage to the meeting hall. Jalen _had_ taken her to see the capital…but it was _still_ quite massive.

The young ISO looked up and saw the entourage leaving her behind and she trotted a bit faster until she was to the left and behind her mother.

Radia looked fondly down at her daughter, gently stroking her head before looking forwards again. Jalen smirked and ruffled Quorra's hair, messing it up and eliciting an annoyed whine from the Child ISO…and an unamused glare from his wife.

As soon as the group stopped in the main chamber, Radia knelt next to her daughter.

"I need you to stay out of sight, little one," she said gently, "Clu is very cold towards our kind, I do not know how he will react to you,"

Quorra gave a slow nod before reaching for her mother. Radia embraced the girl before shooing her off towards one of the pillars, which she hid behind.

"I still don't see why we have to do this," Jalen grumbled, "Clu hates us…it's always been this way,"

"We're trying to keep the peace between Basic and ISO," Radia reminded him, "And if meeting with Clu will keep that peace, then so be it,"

"Still doesn't mean I like it," Jalen growled darkly to himself.

_"Jalennnn!"_

He gave a wry smirk…which rapidly devolved into an emotionless mask as his ice-blue eyes focused on something else. Radia turned to see Flynn coming towards them followed by Tron…and Clu.

 _[Be nice]_ Radia pinged Jalen.

_[Aren't I always?]_

"Hey, glad to see you could make it," Flynn beamed as he got closer, clapping Jalen on the back while giving a tiny bow of the head to Radia.

"To keep the peace, we'd be glad to make the trip," Jalen said, making Radia smile inwardly as he recited her words.

* * *

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* * *

Quorra looked out behind the pillar, seeing the Creator, the Administrator…and…wait…was that…?

Her eyes lit up.

It _was_!

Uncle Tron!

Quorra gave a shy smile as she remembered the day Giles told her she was saying Tron's name wrong…she had felt so bad…

And then he laughed, which made it worse…

So she kicked him in the shin.

Her daddy started roaring with laughter while her mommy tried her best to look unamused. Which didn't make sense to Quorra, who had always been told that Giles liked to pester Mommy all the time.

Quorra peeked out a bit further, watching her parents and the Creator and the Administrator talk…

While Tron stood off to the side, watching just like her!

Maybe he would play with her? Every time she saw him he'd play with her, so why not now?

Quorra carefully snuck around the room, getting close to the Monitor. Maybe this time she'd _actually_ sneak up on him?

She got behind him…and charged.

The Monitor had sensed Quorra coming…and stepped out of the way. Tron had meant to grab her as she zipped by, but he underestimated how fast she was going.

The Child ISO shot past Tron's hands…and crashed right into Clu, who fell flat on the floor with a yelp and with Quorra sitting, quite stunned, on his back.

"Quorra!" Radia gasped, picking the girl up, "I thought…Clu, forgive me, I had no _idea_ …"

Clu sat up, rubbing his head as he looked at the ISO girl, who had pulled the hem of her little white cloak up to cover her face. He was trying to look dignified…

It wasn't helping that Jalen, Flynn _and_ Tron were dying with laughter.

Radia gently whacked her husband on the shoulder, making him swallow the laughter…although a few snickers left every once in a while.

Tron came up and helped Clu up, laughing softly while Flynn was doubled over.

"I meant to catch her, Clu, it's my fault," the Monitor chuckled as Clu brushed himself off.

" _Who_?" Clu demanded, sky-blue gaze annoyed.

Radia gave a slight sigh and looked at her daughter, who was lowering her cloak's hem to look at Clu.

"Clu, this is mine and Jalen's daughter, Quorra," Radia sighed, jostling her arms just a little bit and getting Quorra's attention, "Quorra, what do you say?"

The ISO child's eyes flicked to Clu, who was still dusting himself off.

"Your hair is awl messed up," Quorra stated.

Clu's face darkened slightly as he flattened the unruly mess while Tron gave a crooked grin.

"Quorra…" Radia warned.

"An' you sound funny when you hit da gwound,"

Now Flynn was falling into hysterics again while Tron started chuckling. Jalen wasn't helping matters as he was trying to bite down his own laughter.

_"Quorra!"_

"I sowwy," Quorra mumbled.

"I can't hear you…" Radia said.

"I said I _sorry_!" Quorra cried, throwing her tiny arms out in exasperation.

She lowered her voice.

"That you didn't get out of da way,"

Jalen lost it.

Clu didn't understand why the Monitor, his User, and Jalen were all in hysterics. Radia was unamused, but she somehow didn't hear Quorra's last statement.

"Radia, I'll take her," Tron offered, "I'll keep her out of trouble, I swear,"

"Please Mommy?" Quorra begged, "I be good!"

Radia closed a honey colored eye before looking at Flynn, who was finally starting to calm down, and Jalen who was trying to disguise his laughter as coughs.

She sighed and handed Quorra to Tron.

"You and I are going to have a _long_ talk when we get home," Radia promised, making Quorra duck her head and then bury it in Tron's broad, white shoulder.

Tron gave a soft laugh and lifted Quorra up to his shoulder, looking up at her.

"Now, let's get you away from here, alright?" he asked.

"Otay!"

* * *

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* * *

"That meeting didn't go as bad as I thought it would," Jalen said.

"We completely _embarrassed_ Clu!" Radia hissed.

"Like I said, it went rather well,"

Radia rolled her eyes.

"And you wonder why he doesn't like you," she deadpanned, "Jalen, we have to stay on the Basics' _good_ side. Otherwise things will get very difficult for us,"

Jalen stopped, turning around and putting his hands on Radia's shoulders.

"You saw something…didn't you?" he asked.

Radia turned away.

"Radia…"

She kept her silence.

" _Ophelia_ , what did you see?" Jalen demanded.

Radia didn't look at him, she closed her eyes, remembering.

_A black and sickly yellow hand._

_"Greetings…"_

_A shattered Disk._

_"I think you would have preferred_ death _to this…"_

_Gold circuits._

_"Am I still to create the perfect system?"_

_Two Disks._

_"FLYNN!_ GO _!"_

_The little lights in Flynn's shoes fleeing down an alley._

_A System Monitor on the ground, not Tron…silenced._

_ISOs screaming as red Programs killed them in the streets._

_A shattered Disk ramming into her chest._

_Yori with her head in her hands, sobbing deeply._

_Flynn looking at the Portal as it winked out, pulling up his hood as he walks into the Oulands._

_Quorra standing alone in the Outlands, Arjia in flames, the ISO towers destroyed._

_Hellish red circuits, a soft deadly purr._

"Nothing good," Radia murmured.

"Your visions all come true," Jalen stated, "We could all be in serious trouble,"

"If we stay on the Basics' good side, we won't," Radia said, "Which means no more tormenting Clu,"

Jalen closed an eye but he sighed.

"Fine," he said, "But I make no promises about Quorra,"

Radia shook her head, the coded crystals on her headdress clinking as they moved.

"I don't know what I'm going to _do_ with that girl," she sighed, "She's more like _you_ than anything,"

Jalen shrugged.

"I can't help that her coding relates more to me than you," he stated, "Just how she chose to be,"

"Higher!" Quorra's voice trilled…along with the high-pitched whirr of a Disk.

Something flickered up into the air and a tiny white flash thudded into it before zipping back towards the ground.

"Good!" came Tron's baritone, "Very good!"

"Your turn!"

A lower pitched hum entered the air and the target flicked upwards…a larger white object shot from lower down and _shattered_ the target before zipping back to its master's hand.

Quorra's laughter and applause warmed the core of the two ISOs as they turned the corner, watching as Quorra had her tiny Disk in her hand, watching as Tron flicked his up in the air and sent it whirling towards another target before changing direction and shattering another.

And that's when Quorra noticed her parents watching.

"Mommy! Daddy! Watch this!" she chirped, taking her Disk and throwing it at a target, watching as it plinked off the edge and clattered to the ground, rolling to her feet.

The Child ISO's face fell as she picked up her Disk and reattached it to her dock without a word.

"It was a good try, Quorra," Tron said gently, kneeling down and putting a hand on the girl's shoulder, "You'll get it,"

"I _did_ get it," Quorra huffed, kicking the ground, "Stupid Disk,"

Jalen gave a laugh and picked up his daughter.

"You'll get the hang of it…when you're bigger," he told her.

"Promise?" Quorra asked.

"Promise," Jalen nodded.

 _"Pinkie promise_?" Quorra started, holding out her pinky.

Jalen stared at it for a second, trying to remember that _one_ lesson Flynn had…

"Pinkie promise," Radia said, coming to Jalen's rescue as she hooked her darker pinky around her daughter's much smaller one.


	4. Many Meetings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Major time-skip. Quorra's the equivalent of a teenager now.

"Come and get me!" Quorra yelled, leaping over a hurdle and gracefully dodging a post.

"Quorra! _Slow down_!" the male ISO panted, emerald circuits flickering.

"Not a chance, Gibson!"

The two raced through Tron City, reveling in the joy of near-flight, of being the fastest in their faction. Quorra ran faster and faster, starting to lose her Sea-Born friend…

And then she crashed into someone.

The two rolled for a few meters before coming to a stop, Quorra on top of a black-armored, blue-circuited Basic.

"Ok, _first_ of all: ow," the Basic groaned, "Second: _Owww_!"

"Sorry," Quorra apologized, getting up and then offering her hand to the downed, masked Basic, "Didn't see you,"

The Basic brushed himself off, looking at her, unamused through the ebon glass of his helmet.

"No kidding," he grumbled.

"There you are!"

The two whirled around as a familiar, white-garbed form strode towards them.

Tron.

"Oh, hi Tron," Quorra started, "Uh…didn't see you there,"

"Or my apprentice either apparently?" Tron said with a wry grin.

"You're a _Monitor_?" Quorra asked, turning towards the Basic.

"A _Flynn_ Monitor," Tron corrected, "Flynn made him and brought him here,"

The younger Monitor derezzed his helmet, revealing unruly blond hair and sky-colored eyes…the mirror image of Flynn.

"Name's Anon," the Monitor, Anon, said, sticking out his hand, "Prototype Monitor,"

Quorra opened her mouth to reply when…

"Quorra!"

The Child ISO whirled around just to see Gibson jogging up, panting heavily and sucking breaths of air back into his system.

"Don't…do that…again…okay?" the other ISO gasped.

"Sorry," she murmured, "Anyway, Gibson, this is Anon…Flynn's Monitor. Anon, this is Gibson, a friend of mine,"

"A Bostrumite," Tron said, looking at the other ISO's green circuits.

"Yeah? So?" Gibson asked defensively.

"Oh, I just have never seen one so young. How many are in the Kernel now?" Tron asked.

Gibson's hazel eyes widened.

" _You_ …"

"Tobias, your leader, invited me once. There was a slight Gridbug problem, so I fixed it," Tron told him, "So far, I'm the only Basic ever to visit…and likely the last,"

"Can someone fill me in on what's going on?" Anon asked.

"I keep forgetting you're new," Tron said with a faint laugh, "You learn so quickly…anyway, Bostrum is the only ISO-only colony on the Grid. No Basic has ever seen it…let alone been inside,"

"Except you," Anon pointed out.

Tron gave a light laugh.

"That's right,"

"So, where are you from, Quorra?" Anon asked.

"Arjia," she replied, her white circuits flickering softly.

"The religious community," Anon started.

"You know about Arjia and yet you don't know about Bostrum?" Quorra teased.

"I'm uh…I'm supposed to go there later this millicycle," Anon admitted.

"So I'll see you sometime later?" she asked.

"Um, Quorra," Gibson started, "I _hate_ to break up the talking…but maybe we should _go_?"

"Why…?" Quorra asked slowly.

Gibson's eyes flicked towards the end of the alley and Quorra saw a few sentries coming their way.

"Ah, that's right…I forgot," she nodded, "Need to get back to Arjia…there's something I… _forgot_ to do…See you later, Anon, bye Tron!"

And she and Gibson started off again.

"She looks like she's looking for trouble," Tron stated, looking at his apprentice, "Look after her,"

"You sure?"

"Absolutely,"

Anon gave a shrug and started after the two ISOs.

* * *

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* * *

The Monitor came back later that millicycle with scrapes and bruises…making Flynn laugh and Tron smirk.

"Someone sure put you through the wringer, Anon," Flynn snickered.

"That girl… _why_ didn't you tell me she was an ISO?" Anon hissed as Flynn stepped behind him and detached his Disk, pulling up his code and starting to fix his injuries.

"It wasn't relevant," Tron replied.

"Yeah right," Anon grumbled.

He sat down, wincing as he irritated a scratch.

"That girl most inquisitive, most likely to get herself or me derezzed ISO I have _ever_ met!" Anon snapped, "She snuck onto a Solar Sailer headed towards Arjia, nearly got herself killed by standing on the railing and leaning over the side, then _jumped_ as soon as we neared the Arjia station. I jumped off after her and didn't land as good as I wanted to…then she _saw_ me and asked how in the Grid I ended up looking like _this_! Then after I told her she laughed and said I might want to get back here to get patched up,"

"Wow," Flynn chuckled, "You seem to have my luck with girls, Anon?"

"What does that mean?" the Monitor asked, blinking.

"It means you seem to get yourself into trouble chasing after them,"

"I was only chasing because Tron told me to,"

"…Not what I meant buddy," Flynn chuckled, "You _like_ her,"

"I do _not_!" Anon nearly yelled, circuits flashing deep cobalt in embarrassment.

"Yeah, man, you do…you just don't know it yet,"

"Like I said, the most inquisitive, most likely to get herself or me derezzed, spirited, funny, graceful infuriating ISO I have _ever_ met!"

Flynn and Tron shared a look.

"Did you hear what I heard?" Flynn smirked.

"I did," Tron chuckled.

"Hear _what_?" Anon demanded, "What did I say?"

"Oh…nothing," Tron dismissed.

Anon closed an eye, unwilling to let it go…but something else caught his attention.

"Hey…where's that oh-so-fun, loving brother of mine?"

"Clu?" Flynn asked, "overseeing a Disk Tournament,"

"And he didn't invite _me_?"

"Anon, you've got a _lot_ to learn before you're ready for the tournaments," Tron told him.

"Aw, c'mon, Tron, I can take 'em. I hold my own with you, don't I?"

"Oh you wouldn't last a nano in the Arena with me, Anon," Tron said with a wry smile.

It took a second to compute what Tron had said, but after that…Anon's face darkened.

"That's not fair," he growled, "You're going easy on me!"

"You want me to go hard on you? Fine. Next fight, ten nanos from now,"

"Bring it!" Anon smirked as Flynn snapped his Disk back to his back.

* * *

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* * *

"Didn't mother tell you _not_ to go?" Quorra asked, walking up behind her father.

Jalen gave her a sad smile as he turned back to his Disk, adjusting the holographic portrait of his civilian clothes.

"How much she worries," he murmured as he finished tweaking his armor, while Quorra watched, "But I can think of no other way to break the stalemate, Quorra, to show them we are just as good,"

The Child ISO watched her father as he put his Disk back on his back, watched as his civilian clothes shimmered from Arjian white to black and became armored, his cloak melting away.

"But I _must_ be careful," Jalen continued, "If I play _too_ well, they'll see me as a threat, but I must also _win_ ,"

He grabbed Quorra's shoulders gently.

"I _have_ to _win_ ," he told her.

"I know, Father," Quorra said softly, "And I know you will,"

Jalen embraced her one last time before breaking it off and brushing her hair away from her cheek.

"I'll see you in a bit," he promised, running off towards the Solar Sailer.

"Be safe," Quorra whispered as Jalen leaped agilely onto the Sailer right as it pulled away.

* * *

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* * *

**"Combatant 13: Victory."**

Jalen caught his Disk as the announcement rang out. He gave a smile, blue eyes sparkling bright as he walked over to his opponent, reaching his gloved hands to the downed Basic.

"Good game," he smiled warmly, helping the Basic to his feet, "You're really good,"

"If I was _that_ good," the Basic admitted, "I would have won. You're the better fighter,"

The Basic stepped back on his platform as it started sinking to the floor, signaling his end in the tournament. Jalen looked up right as his next opponent's platform came to meet him.

"Good luck," Jalen called.

"To you too!" the new Basic, a female grinned as she pulled out her Disk.

Jalen did the same, his circuits flickering softly as he fell in tune with the Grid's thrumming. Unlike a System Monitor, Jalen couldn't hear Her speak…he heard Her _sing_ instead, like all ISOs.

**"Round 5. Combatants 3 and 13. Disk Wars: Initiate."**

The female Program hurled her Disk, a strait, narrow shot, but Jalen dodged, leaping upwards and twisting over it, his slender body arcing gracefully before coming to the ground. He leaned out of the way as the Basic's Disk swerved back into her hand. Jalen hurled his own Disk, the white edge careening towards the Basic.

The Basic just managed to get her Disk up to block…and she lost her balance, slipping towards the edge. Jalen caught his Disk and looked up to see the Basic scrabbling for a hold, green-eyes frantic.

Jalen dropped his Disk, racing forwards and leaped, holding out his hand.

"Take my hand!" he ordered, blue eyes worried as they locked onto the Basic's green.

The Basic swung for his hand, missed, and dangled over the arena again.

Why wasn't Clu ordering the arena to be lowered? Jalen shook his head. It didn't matter, he _had_ to save her.

The ISO leaned out farther over the abyss and reached farther.

"C'mon!" he yelled, "Grab my hand!"

The Basic's wide, terrified eyes flashed and her hand flickered out again…But this time Jalen caught her. She grabbed at his gloved hands, making them slip just a bit lower. But Jalen didn't notice, he yanked her back up to safety, kneeling down next to her with a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you ok?" he asked softly.

The Basic nodded, looking up at him…and then her eyes widened as they zeroed in on his arm…

Jalen looked down and saw the exposed skin on his upper arm…as well as the Arjian white ISO glyph burning brightly on his pale skin.

"ISO…" the Basic breathed right as a bunch of Security Programs rushed into the arena to make sure she was ok.

Jalen put a hand to his arm, but not quick enough that the others didn't see.

The frowns that they wore once they saw it…weren't a good sign.

"Well, this isn't good," Jalen murmured as one of them grabbed him by the arm and hauled him up to his feet, "Where are you taking me?"

"Your kind aren't allowed to play in the Tournament, ISO," one said.

The Programs in the crowd started booing…flickers of white caught Jalen's eye. His _people_. The ISOs were all standing, screaming their rage about how this wasn't fair. They were rallying…there would be a fight! This wasn't what he wanted!

"STOP!" came a bellowing voice, making everyone freeze.

Jalen's wide blue gaze turned to see white circuits and serious blue eyes.

"Clu," he breathed.

* * *

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* * *

_Later_

"I thought I told you not to go!" Radia fumed as Jalen came back, still in his ebon battle armor.

"You did," he replied, "But I chose not to listen,"

" _Jalen_!"

"I had to do it, Radia," Jalen told her, blue eyes pained, "They weren't going to treat us the same if we just sat there!"

Radia pinched the bridge of her nose, shaking her head and making the crystals on her headdress clink.

"How far did you get?" she asked.

"Second to last round…before they found out whom…or rather _what_ …I am," Jalen sighed, "And they stopped me from continuing on in the tournament,"

"Jalen…" Radia murmured, touching his cheek, only for him to grab her hand.

"The ISOs were _rallying_ , Radia," he told her, "I almost started what I wanted to avoid in the _first_ place!"

He turned away and walked towards the window, staring out over the city he designed and built.

"But Clu… _Clu_ of all Programs, Radia!" Jalen laughed incredulously, " _Embraced_ me! He Recoded the system rules and let me compete! I _never_ thought he would do that!"

"Then what happened?" Quorra asked, looking up at her father.

"I _won_!" Jalen beamed, picking her up and whirling her around, "An _ISO_ has won the tournament! Clu rewarded me with a _Disk_ Upgrade!"

"Jalen, that's wonderful!" Radia smiled, "What does it do?"

"I don't know," Jalen shrugged, "Haven't tried it out yet. But, in all honesty…I feel like I could take on Tron himself! A new dawn…Basic and ISO working together in one system, one parameter! Our future is secure,"

"You've done well," Radia beamed, "There's something else though, isn't there?"

"You're right," Jalen smirked, "Clu was _impressed_ , he asked me to _assist_ him! Examine the Grid, assess system resources, inconsistencies, _memory drains_!"

He gave a joyous laugh.

"Indeed, a new cycle has _begun_!" he crowed, circuits blindingly bright.


	5. Broken and Hurt

Jalen wandered farther and farther into the system then he had _ever_ gone before. He hadn't told Radia he had been going this far…but there was rumor of an inconsistency this far out and Clu _had_ put him in the position to help.

His Disk warmed on his back, the fluttering feeling in his code started up once again as the Upgrade kicked in, making his eyesight sharper, him stronger. It had taken a few millicycles to get used to, but eventually he started to ignore it.

The Alpha-Class ISO flitted across the rocks, his hooded, black cloak pulled up over his black hair to obscure his movements. His instincts told him that it was best if he kept himself hidden as much as possible.

And then he saw what he had been looking for.

A construction site…filled with Programs, most decked in red or orange, coding a massive ship. Jalen could barely make out the binary name on the ship's side.

"Memory Siphons…Firewalls...Security Programs on every tile of the Grid?" he murmured, his circuits flickering uncertainly as he looked out over the construction site, at the massive weapons ship before him, "And…this… _Regulator_?"

And then he saw a flicker of golden circuits and familiar blond hair.

"Clu?" the ISO leader started slowly, "But why would he…"

Jalen froze as he heard footsteps, whipping around, ice-blue eyes wide in slight fear before blinking confusedly…and pain shot through his Disk dock as his Disk spat sickly yellow sparks.

The ISO pitched forwards, rolling down the side of the rocky outcropping and landing, twitching at Clu's feet.

"It's impolite to snoop," the Admin said coldly.

"W-What's h-happening to m-m-m-my Disk?" Jalen stammered, groaning as another painful jab seared his back, "It's…it's…"

He reached back, hands trembling as he grabbed the Disk, yanking it off his back and he pulled up his holographic portrait, trying to figure out _what_ in the Grid was going _on_!

He nearly dropped his Disk as he saw what was happening to his _hands_. The smooth, pale skin was starting to blacken, the gently curving circuits shattered, splintering and sending stabs of pain racing though Jalen's hands, his fingernails lengthened to a more brutal talon-like shape. The ISO leader howled in pain as the broad circuit across his chest shattered into what looked more akin to the bolts of lightning that arced across the Grid sky.

His ice-blue eyes stared pleadingly at Clu.

"Why?" he breathed as sickly yellow started flooding his irises.

"I'm just helping you realize your true nature," Clu said calmly, "A _disease_ …it just needed a little… _encouragement_ to bring it out,"

"You sick twisted basta...AGH!" Jalen shrieked, clutching his side and cutting off the User explicative that he had been _trying_ to say, "What did you _do_ to me!?"

He started coughing, clawing at the blackness that was starting to crawl up his arms and the rest of his body, as he spat out flecks of white and yellow bits of raw code.

Jalen scrabbled for his Disk, taking it with both hands and lunging towards the Outlands' floor, trying to break the infected thing into pieces, for becoming a stray was preferable to _this_ …but whatever that upgrade did to it, made it nigh indestructible…for all it did was jar Jalen's hands and make him scream even louder as the blackness crept up his neck, halting right below his jaw, forming an armored suit while his shattered circuits flared the same sickly yellow as his Disk.

Clu picked the Disk up, smiling cruelly as Jalen twitched on the ground, his blue eyes washing with sickly, highlighter yellow as he glared heatedly at the Admin…

And then the curious, alive sparkle in the ISO's eyes… _died_.

The being on the ground was no longer an ISO. It was a _virus_.

The Virus shuddered, phantom pain racing up and down through his circuits as he lay with his cheek against the cold floor of the Outlands.

Clu gave a smile as he opened up the holographic portrait of the broken ISO in front of him.

"We have to make sure 'Jalen' is gone," he murmured softly, "We'll have to arrange an 'accident' won't we? And we can't have you looking like that when your precious family sees you…"

He moved his fingers in the corrupted code agilely, like he knew what he was doing. Soon, Clu had all the viral code bundled in one little place. He set a timer on it, so that at the right moment, the virus would take over…

And this time take _everything_ from Jalen.

"Isn't that right, Abraxas?" Clu asked softly as he knelt down next to the virus.

The Virus' bleary, sick yellow gaze landed on him and he gave a weak nod, trying to stand.

Clu watched as the Virus stumbled, trying to find his legs before crashing to the ground, flickering weakly. The Admin's golden circuits flared in thoughtfulness…and he tossed a vial of energy towards the Virus.

The former ISO nearly pounced on the vial, taking it in with a fevered hunger, his circuits stabilizing a bit. Clu gave a thoughtful hum as the Virus stood once again, towering over him, but yet diminished, shaking slightly. He'd have to have more time with him…but that would come later.

Right now, Jalen had to 'die'. Clu walked around the Virus, holding his Disk and pulling out the memories he had of the site, before snapping the Disk back on the Virus' back.

Said former ISO groaned in pain, doubling over and hitting the ground, coughing and retching as his Disk flared white once again. The blackened armor on the Virus' form seemed to melt away, returning to pale skin while his yellow circuits smoothed over and flickered white. The final change happened when the Virus' eyes flickered back to ice-blue…and he collapsed, unconscious.

"That worked better than I thought," Clu murmured, picking up the unconscious ISO and dragging him off a ways.

When he was far enough away for Clu's liking, the Admin set Jalen down, and tried to wake him.

"Jalen," Clu started, "Hey, _Jalen_ , wake up!"

Jalen gave a low moan as his blue eyes fluttered open.

"Wha…?" the ISO murmured, "What happened?"

"You fell," Clu white-lied, "Hit your head pretty hard, you're lucky I found you. How're you feeling?"

Jalen blinked, holding his head.

"Aside from a headache…I…I feel…good," Jalen started, "Really good,"

Clu broke into a smile that didn't quite meet his eyes.

"Good," he said, "Let's keep it that way,"

* * *

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* * *

Something was off about Jalen when he returned home that evening…or so Radia thought. The female ISO watched as her husband's dark form came into the room, not even bothering to greet her.

"Jalen, are you alright?" Radia asked softly as Jalen swept past her.

"I'm fine,"

"Are you _sure_?"

"I SAID I'M FINE!" Jalen snarled, eyes blazing bright, neon yellow.

Radia blinked rapidly, Jalen had never lost his temper with her…with _anyone_ for that matter. She saw Quorra come in, stopping as she looked at her parents. She came towards Jalen and put a hand on his shoulder.

Jalen shoved her away, making the young ISO hit the ground with a yelp. Jalen's blued yellow eyes flickered before he wiped his face, shaking his head before putting his hand down and reaching to help his daughter up.

"I'm sorry, Quorra, Radia," he said gently, "I don't know what came over me. It's…been a long millicycle,"

Radia came forward and put a hand on Jalen's chest.

"I think you need to get some rest, Jalen," she said softly, "We all do, I think. Come along, Quorra,"

The young ISO nodded and Radia led her to her room. The ISO Leader turned back to her husband.

"You go get ready," she told him, "I'll meet you there in a bit,"

Jalen gave a tired nod before walking towards the bedroom.

"Something's wrong with Father," Quorra said softly, "I don't know what it is, but there's something off…like he's sick,"

"I don't know, Quorra," Radia told her, "I just don't know,"

* * *

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* * *

The next millicycle came and Jalen was in Tron city, waiting for the finals in the Tournament to begin. Whoever won this round…would face against Tron himself.

And Jalen wouldn't lie…he was looking _forwards_ to it.

"Be careful in your match," Clu had told him, "The Games are dangerous,"

But not deadly…not since the days of the Old System had they been deadly…or so Jalen had been told.

Then again, Jalen had also been there when Tron was told the games had been turned lethal. To say the Monitor wasn't happy would be an understatement.

Tron went _ballistic_ and stormed right up to Clu, giving him what-for.

The ISO and his opponent, a female Basic named Diana, circled one another. Diana hurled her Disk at him, but Jalen parried it with ease. He swept his Disk towards Diana, his cloak flaring away in a dark-display as he threw.

Diana barely managed to dodge and Jalen's Disk returned to him…

_CRACK!_

Jalen looked down, watching in horror as great cracks started spreading across the thick Grid-glass of the arena, spreading from his feet in a star-like pattern. The ISO's blue eyes flashed as he saw one of the cracks heading for his opponent.

"Diana, _run_!" Jalen yelled, taking a step, but freezing as the floor creaked ominously under his foot.

Dark streaks of dirty-yellow light slipped in and out of the cracks, and Jalen couldn't help but watch in growing terror as Diana slipped, scooting back towards the wall as the cracks reached towards her. The ISO raced forwards, leaping over the cracks, grabbed Diana and flung her to the other side of the arena to safe ground. Jalen took a step back and started to run, to leap to safety…

When searing pain exploded through his Disk dock, dropping him to the ground, shrieking in pain. Dark yellow cracks spread from his hands as he clawed at the glass…

And the platform on which he lay shattered, plunging him down into the yawning abyss below.

Jalen hit the floor of the arena hard, so hard he was surprised he hadn't derezzed on impact. He groaned in pain right as his Disk spat baleful yellow sparks, sending searing agony rushing through every voxel in his body.

The ISO _shrieked_. A code-chilling, system-crashing, haunting scream that had _never_ been heard on the system before…but it wouldn't be the last (even though Jalen couldn't _possibly_ know what Clu was going to do to the Protector).

His last thoughts were of his wife and daughter…and then everything shattered into pain and rage and sickness while his world burned with corroded yellow light.

* * *

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* * *

Radia watched as Quorra took her katana and sparred with the dummy. It was Tron and Jalen's idea, since the younger ISO had such a talent for combat.

The Oracle could see that Quorra did not have her ability to See. Perhaps if Quorra had children, one of them might be able to See.

"My lady," a messenger called as he walked in the door, "I…I bring news of Lord Jalen's match in Tron City…"

Radia smiled, throwing her daughter one last look before going to the messenger. He handed her a datapad and stepped back.

The Alpha-Class ISO read the message…and her horror grew with every letter she read.

Radia let out a heartbroken scream and fell to her knees, sobbing. The messenger bowed his head in apology before stepping aside…

Only to nearly get bowled over by a slender, dark-haired blur.

Quorra raced to her mother's side, touching her shoulder.

"What happened?" the young ISO asked.

Radia turned to her daughter and enfolded her in an embrace, sobbing as she did.

"Your father…" Radia whispered, "There was an accident in the Games…"

She closed her eyes, tears streaming.

"He's dead,"

The two ISOs mourned for what seemed like ages, and then Radia turned her daughter around.

"What are you doing, Mother?" Quorra asked.

"Someone might come after us, Quorra," Radia murmured softly, taking her daughter's Disk and pulling up her armor design, "We need to keep _you_ safe if not both of us,"

She finished her tweaking and gave the Disk back to her daughter, who put it on her back, watching as her white Arjian armor pixilated, turning black with brilliant blue light.

"So from now on in the presence of others, you are to call me Radia," Radia instructed, "When it's just you and me, you can call me mother…"

"But _Mother_!" Quorra protested.

Radia put her hands on her daughter's shoulders.

"Quorra, listen to me," Radia said, "With your father gone, you and I are in more danger than ever before. We _cannot_ let _anything_ happen to you… _our_ future,"

Quorra bowed her head sadly.

"Yes…Radia," she murmured.


	6. Comfort and Coping

Quorra raced through the city, ignoring the tears that streamed from her ice-blue eyes. No one stared at her as she ran past…her light, ebony armor blended in with the Basics instead of standing out like she did with her white Arjian armor.

She burst through a door and stopped on the edge of a rooftop, going to the edge and sitting down, her knees drawn to her chest, circuits dimly flickering.

"Quorra?"

Quorra sniffed as her head snapped behind her…just to see a familiar Program in jet black, minimally lit armor.

The pale, blue-white tetramino on his chest told her who it was.

Tron came closer to her, kneeling down next to her, derezzing the reflective helmet and revealing the Monitor's old, steel-blue eyes.

"I heard about Jalen," he said softly, putting a hand on Quorra's shoulder, "I'm so sorry,"

The Child ISO hung her head before nearly throwing herself into Tron's embrace. The Protector held her close, a low, gentle hum rumbling from his chest as Quorra sobbed.

"Wh-Why'd he h-have to d-die?" Quorra cried, "the G-Games…they're n-not supposed to b-be l-lethal!"

"I don't know, Quorra," Tron told her gently, "I _do_ know that he died saving a Basic from his fate,"

"Y-You s-saw?"

"I was there," Tron said sadly, "I was going to go up against him. The arena started to break…your father saw the glass starting to derezz under his opponent. He jumped over the weak parts, threw the Basic to safety…and the floor fell from under him. He sacrificed himself for that Basic, Quorra…I don't think he would have let her die,"

He brushed her hair away from her face, a gentle half-smile on his face.

"I think she reminded him of you," he said, "She had that spunky attitude in her fighting like you do,"

Quorra cracked a weak smile at that.

"Although…seeing you in Basic Black is new…" he told her.

"Moth…Radia's idea," Quorra muttered, remembering what her mother told her.

Tron lifted his head in understanding.

"To keep you safe if something should happen to her," he reasoned, "Even having you call her Radia in the presence of others?"

Quorra gave a nod.

"Radia is a wise ISO, always has been, always will be," Tron stated, "Now…I know you like heights…but why don't we get you someplace warm and get you some energy, alright?"

Quorra gave a mute nod and stood with Tron's help. The Protector wrapped his arm around her shoulders and walked down the stairs.

* * *

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* * *

_CRASH!_

"Nice shot," Tron nodded as Quorra's Disk ricocheted back to her.

"I had good teachers," Quorra admitted, bowing her head, "You and my father were the best,"

Tron squeezed her shoulder.

"He'd be very proud of you Quorra," Tron told her softly, "I know I am,"

Quorra gave a slight smile.

"Quorra!" came a familiar voice.

The Child-ISO's gaze lit up brightly as she turned to face the cobalt-circuited Monitor trotting towards her and Tron.

"Anon!" Quorra beamed as Anon came towards her, "How are you?"

"Probably better than you," the young Monitor admitted, "Sorry about Jalen…Tron said you and he were close,"

"Everyone is," Quorra sighed before shooting the older Monitor a ping _[You didn't tell him?]_

_[Radia's orders]_ Tron pinged back _[And Jalen's. The only ones who know you're their daughter are me, Flynn, the ISOs, and Clu. No one else unless you told someone…]_

_[No]_

"I uh…I think I might have something that might take your mind off it," Anon started slowly.

"And what would that be, Monitor?" Quorra asked.

"Making a certain brother of mine's runtime miserable," Anon smirked, "C'mon!"

He grabbed her hand and dragged her towards the door to his, Flynn's and Clu's apartment.

Quorra grabbed Tron's wrist as she and Anon went past and dragged the elder Monitor with them.

This was going to be fun…or very, _very_ dangerous _…._

* * *

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* * *

"I don't think this is a good idea," Tron muttered.

"C'mon, Tron, you worry too much," Anon snorted as he and Quorra stood back and admired their handiwork.

"And done!" Quorra beamed, "Whaddya think?"

"I think that it was nice knowing you both," Tron deadpanned.

Anon flashed Tron that crooked grin that matched Flynn's perfectly…this was the reflection of the Flynn the older Monitor knew back on the Encom system.

"He's dealt with our pranks before," Anon dismissed, "This one won't hurt him, right Q?"

"Right," Quorra nodded and then Anon tensed, "What's wrong?"

"He's coming…hide!" Anon chuckled, ducking behind a corner and his mentor and ISO friend quickly followed him.

Tron only hid because he had no intention to be out there when the prank Anon and Quorra set off went into effect. He barely made it before the target came around the corner, intently studying a datapad. Anon and Quorra were nearly dancing with excitement as they watched their victim enter the room.

The main difference in looks between Anon and Clu were most obviously the hairstyle. Anon's was wilder, more curly while Clu's was perfectly styled and in place. Flynn's was a mixture of the two. Another difference is the eyes. Anon's had a childish spark that quickly turned grim when he was on a mission, Clu's were clear and calculating, Flynn's were…experienced.

One quickly learned that the words 'wise' and 'Kevin Flynn' do not go in the same sentence unless saying how he isn't wise. Flynn is smart. There is a difference between smart and wise and Flynn walks on the line…more often going on the 'not so wise' part of the line.

Clu walked into the room and Anon gave an evil laugh while Quorra gave an equally evil smirk. Tron knew from experience that this was not going to end well for Clu. Anyone on the receiving end of that laugh didn't come out without being pranked in some way, shape or form.

The Admin looked up from his datapad, glanced at his room and then turned back to his pad…not noticing that Anon and Quorra had strategically moved everything in that room a half an inch from where it was before…and fixed the code so that he couldn't move it back.

Clu was a perfectionist…if Tron remembered right, Flynn said he was majorly 'oh-cee-dee', whatever that meant. What Tron _did_ know…is that Clu did not like it when someone messed with anything he had put together…which his brother Program and the Child-ISO did.

Constantly.

"Your plan failed," Tron pointed out when Clu didn't react.

Anon held up a hand to shush his mentor before ticking down fingers.

Three…Two…One…

Clu suddenly froze and slowly looked up at his room again…twitching badly.

Quorra bit her lip to keep from laughing and Anon slowly stood up.

"And now is the time for me to le…" he froze as he turned around, "Oh…uh…hi User,"

Tron and Quorra turned around and saw Flynn standing behind them, looking at Anon and then over his shoulder at Clu.

"What did you do to him this time?" Flynn asked, slightly tired and slightly amused at the same time.

Anon never got the chance to answer because Clu came barreling out of his room. The Admin took _one_ look at Anon and...

"YOU!" Clu snapped.

" _Why_ do you always assume it's me, brother?" Anon asked, his bright blue eyes wide and innocent.

He pointed at Tron and Quorra.

"Sell-out," Quorra muttered so softly only the Monitors could hear her.

"I am not playing that game Anon," Tron growled, "I had nothing to do with your little antics,"

"What did he do?" Flynn repeated.

"HE MOVED EVERYTHING IN MY ROOM AND NOW I CAN'T MOVE IT BACK!" Clu roared.

"It's quite the improvement if you ask me," Anon muttered with an impish grin.

"That's it! You're cubes!"

Anon shot him a very cocky grin.

"Got to catch me first!" he smirked before sprinting off.

Clu followed him, yelling in anger as the younger Program sprinted across the walls before landing agilely on his feet on the floor. Tron turned to Flynn.

"This is all your fault," he told him.

"Oh c'mon," Flynn grinned as Clu tripped Anon and landed heavily on the younger's chest, "He's just a baby,"

"OW!" Anon yelled, "Clu that hurt!"

"That _hurt_?" Clu hissed, "I'll show you _hurt_ , bit-brain!"

"AGH! FLYNN! OW! USER! GAH! DAD! HELP!" Anon wailed as Clu hit him, "Clu STOP! OW! OW! OW!"

"Alright you two, break it up," Flynn ordered, coming between the two.

"He started it!" they both yelled.

"Yeah, well I'm finishing it!" Flynn growled.

Both Programs glared heatedly at each other…both sporting cuts from where the other scratched him with their fingernails.

Tron facepalmed, shaking his head.

"Why me?" he muttered.

"That's why," Quorra told him, "Just because it's _you!_ "

"I'm surprised he didn't go straight after you," Tron said, throwing a sidelong glance at the young ISO.

"Who, me?" Quorra asked, blinking sweetly, "I'm just the Innocent little ISO…I wouldn't hurt a _fly_!"

Tron cocked his head slightly, trying to figure out what in the Grid she had said…

"User phrase," she prompted, "Mothe… _Radia_ 's been teaching me,"

Tron gave a short laugh and shook his head.

He was starting to worry about the day when Anon and Quorra's antics would become _normal_.


	7. Viral

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jalen and Abraxas both feature in this one. When Jalen speaks, his words will be normal font, when it's Abraxas it will be bolded. Sometimes the virus slips through on some of Jalen's words and vice versa so there will be sentences where some words are bolded while the others are normal.

**"LET ME OUT YOU FOOLS! LET ME OUT!"**

Clu walked into the holding cell, noting that his sentries seemed a little…afraid.

"You think he can _get_ out?" one of them asked.

"I don't know," the other stammered before jabbing his pike at the gate, "Back! GET BACK!"

"Is everything all right down here?" the Admin asked calmly, his light-blue eyes scanning over the two terrified Programs.

"The prisoner…he…" the first stammered.

"He's having…issues," the second finished, "He derezzed one of our number a few nanos ago,"

He looked at the scarlet cubes decorating the floor and then at the dull yellow ones next to them.

"And infected another," the first continued, "We had to put him down,"

Clu patted him on the shoulder.

"Let me talk to him,"

The Admin walked farther into the holding area, eyes glancing towards a faintly flickering Program huddled in a corner, pulsing yellow and white.

"Leave me alone," the white-circuited Program pleaded, "What did I do?"

His circuits suddenly flared yellow.

**"LET ME OUT!"** the Virus howled, scrabbling to get to his feet before he screamed in pain, hitting the floor and curling up in a little ball, sobbing.

"Jalen…" Clu started.

The ISO kept his silence, only breaking it by his core-wrenching sobs.

_"Jalen…_ "

"Go away," Jalen pleaded, jamming his fists into his ears, "Just go away…"

He tore at his hair, thrashing his head back and forth as his circuits spasmed.

"MAKE **IT** STOP!" he wailed, " **MAKE** IT **_STOP_**!"

"C'mon, man, look at me," Clu urged.

The black head lifted slightly and a yellow-streaked blue eye looked up at him in fear.

"You…" Jalen gasped, lifting a clawed, yellow-white finger at Clu, "I know you…"

"Sure buddy," Clu said with a sadistic smile, "What hurts, Abraxas?"

The ISO shook his head violently, trembling.

"Not my name… **yes it is** …NO IT ISN'T!" he howled, "Radia…Quorra…It's so cold…The voice...the voice speaks to me… **Commands me**. Tells me things. Tells me about the **end of all things**...the beginning of new things. It calls me... **it calls me to service..."**

The poor creature lifted his mostly yellow gaze up at Clu.

"What did you do to me…" Jalen whispered before screaming and ramming his head into the wall either on purpose or on accident, Clu didn't know.

"Everything about you ISOs is a threat to us," Clu told him, "A threat to our perfect system. A threat I must eliminate,"

Suddenly, the screaming stopped.

Sickly yellow light flickered in the cell and Clu gave a nod as the Virus shuddered, getting to his feet.

"State your purpose," Clu ordered.

**"I am the perfect weapon,"** the Virus rasped, **"Spread my pain, infect the Grid…Destroy everything in my path,"**

"Is that clear?" Clu asked.

**"My purpose is clear,"** the Virus said with a bow of his head.

He turned his yellow gaze up to the ceiling before Jalen's face was hidden behind a mask.

**"Everything is coming to an _end_!"** Abraxas roared.

* * *

01110110 01101001 01110010 01100001 01101100

* * *

"Are you ready?" Quorra asked, looking up at her mother as Radia stepped off the Solar Sailer.

"Always," Radia replied, gently caressing her daughter's cheek, "After all this time…we're _finally_ going to be on par with the Basics. And we have you to thank, my dear daughter,"

"Me? I've done nothing," Quorra dismissed.

Radia gave a sad smile.

"You grow to be more like your father with every passing day," she whispered, "I wish…"

She bowed her head and Quorra gave and equally sad smile.

"I wish he was here too," she said, "Just to see what he'd think of all this,"

"Knowing your father he'd probably try to pull some stunt with Clu right after being installed as Co-Administrator," Radia laughed, "And then he'd drag you, Flynn, Tron and that Monitor friend of yours all to the Game Grid and have a game of Disk Wars,"

"I miss him," Quorra sniffed, and Radia pulled her close, laying her head on Quorra's.

"I do as well," Radia murmured, kissing her daughter's head, "Why don't you get calmed down…I'll meet you at the ceremony, alright?"

Quorra nodded and ran off to calm down while Radia continued onwards, her entourage following behind her.

The Alpha-Class ISO walked through the gates of the ceremony amphitheater and her core panged with grief.

_"If only you could see us now, Jalen…you would be so happy,"_ she thought to herself.

* * *

01110110 01101001 01110010 01100001 01101100

* * *

Quorra had finally gotten calmed down and she was now currently running fully tilt at the amphitheater's gates…when she was stopped by two Security Programs.

"State your designation Program," one ordered.

Quorra gave an annoyed sigh.

"My name's Quorra, _Radia_ asked me to join her. You know Radia… _leader_ of the ISOs?" she explained, " _Soon_ to be System Administrator?"

"No entry without proper identification," the other replied.

"But she's _expecting_ me!"

"But _Clu_ isn't," the first growled, "Since the accident security has been increased. _No_ entry without proper authorization,"

Quorra's hands curled into fists, icy-blue fire that was reminiscent of her father's flared in her eyes as she held up a hand.

_"Fine_ ," she snapped, "Then I'll _get_ authorization!"

She stormed off, racing through the crowd and weaving through many different buildings before pausing on a ledge as a flicker of cobalt blue caught her eye. She frowned, jumping off the ledge onto one farther down…this time watching as the flicker came again. Quorra groaned, realizing she had been followed the whole way down here.

Anon.

She knew she wasn't going to get away from the young Monitor…he had every ability Tron had…and that included the tracking.

The Child-ISO decided she didn't care and plunged into the crowd, wandering up to be close to the stage.

"…Which brings us to _why_ we're here," Clu started to wrap up, "Our User, Kevin Flynn, tells us the way to that perfection is with the ISOs. And if he says that sharing the System Administration with an ISO leader is the next step, I say: Let the future _Begin_!"

The crowd cheered and Clu turned towards Radia, who caught Quorra's eye with a slight smile.

"I present to you, your new ISO Co-Administrator, Radia," he announced, applauding as Radia took the stage.

* * *

01110110 01101001 01110010 01100001 01101100

* * *

He ghosted along the rooftops, watching the ceremony with a flicker of the curiosity he had once had.

He watched as the glittering ISO leader took the podium…something ached inside of him, but he brushed it off.

Something _always_ ached now.

"Greetings, Programs," the ISO began, "While I am honored to accept this position on behalf of this historic occasion…I do it with a heavy heart. For I was to share this honor with Jalen, my counterpart, up until his tragic…demise…"

She paused clearing her throat before continuing.

"I wish with all my being that he could have been here to witness this great moment," she continued, "However, we must put aside grief. In the wake of loss, we must _push_ _forwards_ towards progress, and embrace this new era of cooperation between ISOs and Basics…"

He took off his Disk. Evolution will take up in turn. Their time is _over_! The Grid will know only _pain_!

Just like him…Spread. Infect. Destroy.

He leaped off the building, making the Programs scatter. One of them was foolish enough to come within grabbing distance.

He grabbed the Basic around the throat and hoisted them high.

**"Greetings,"** he rasped, feeling his pain leech out of him and into the Basic, he felt the poor creature's terror and pain…

And he tossed them into a wall, letting the transformation take hold.

He looked at the ISO, whose honey-colored gaze stared at him in fear.

Radia's premonition had come true.

He saw Security Programs coming at him and he gave a wicked smile under his mask, flicking out his hand and derezzing one, two, all three of them.

The Virus turned his face towards Clu. He knew the plan…only _pretend_ to attack the Admin…

And infect everyone in his path.

**"Its your time…"** he purred, **_"Embrace it,"_**

True to his promise, Clu reacted as if the whole thing were real.

"Sever the stage!" he ordered.

A Security Program hastily began to put in the code. And Abraxas gave a twisted smile. We couldn't have _that_ now could we?

He hurled his Disk with old skill, the keen yellow edge punching through the Security Program as if it were nothing before thudding back into its master's hand.

The Virus stalked forwards, Disk ablaze…when another hum caught his attention. The helmeted and hooded head snapped up just to see a blaze of cobalt light and an explosion knocked him off his feet.

"Clu! Run!" the Program…a _Monitor_ …ordered, standing upright and readying his Disk.

The Admin bolted, leaving the Monitor and the Virus alone on the stage.

**"So be it,"** Abraxas growled, slamming his Disk into the stage controls and sealing them off from help, **"If this…is what you want…"**

* * *

01110110 01101001 01110010 01100001 01101100

* * *

"ANON!" Quorra screamed as the Monitor began to duel with the Virus.

Anon whirled and danced around the makeshift arena, the Virus couldn't touch him. Anon blocked the Virus' throws, the yellow Disk careening off the cobalt one with a display of brilliant sparks.

"My turn," she heard Anon growl, his Disk beginning to glow almost white with the power he was putting into it…

Then he hurled the Disk, so straight and true that the Virus only had time to lift his Disk to block it.

And the unthinkable happened.

The Virus' Disk _shattered_ , six pieces flew into the air and clattered to the ground, throwing the Virus many feet backwards.

Said Virus sat up, shaking his head as he looked at his broken, flickering, yet still functional Disk.

He turned a baleful glare towards Anon.

**"I think you would have preferred… _death_ …to this,"** he rasped venomously, ramming his Disk into the ground.

Corruption streamed towards the Monitor and Anon hurled himself out of the way, rolling to his feet as the Virus crouched down and leapt upwards incredibly high, landing on a rooftop and looking at Anon…then his gaze slid towards Quorra…

And he disappeared.


	8. Silenced

Quorra watched from the sidelines as Anon straightened up, looking at where the Virus had gone.

She saw Clu come back to the stage, picking up one of the broken shards and looking up at Anon.

"Good timing, Anon. Seems like I owe you one," Clu said as Anon derezzed his helmet.

"Or more," Anon teased.

Clu ignored him, studying the shard.

"A viral attack shouldn't be possible…perhaps this will give us an answer or two," Clu murmured, showing the shard to Anon, who recoiled and flinched visibly.

"Get that thing away," the Monitor growled, "You can study it, yes…just don't let it near me,"

"CLU! ANON!" came Flynn's panicked voice as he and Tron both sprinted to the stage, "Thank _God_ you two are ok…what happened?!"

"A virus," Clu said simply, "It infected many, both ISO and Basic,"

" _Impossible_ ," Tron growled.

"You know this system is closed," Flynn added, "Nothing gets in without me!"

"And it didn't," Anon replied, turning his gaze to where the virus had been, "It was already here,"

"What?" Tron asked.

"It evolved from the inside," Clu expanded, "It seems this…Abraxas…virus was once an ISO,"

Flynn's visage turned stormy while Anon's cool blue gaze locked onto his brother in slight annoyance.

"No, no, no, _no way_ man," Anon growled, "An ISO wouldn't do this,"

"How can we know for sure?" Clu asked his brother, " _You're_ new to the system so you wouldn't know. By definition they're unpredictable, they have no directive, no ordained function. They're a flaw,"

Anon visibly bristled at that comment and both Flynn and Tron put steadying hands on the younger Monitor.

"I blame myself," Clu continued, "I should have seen this coming…and now their unpredictability has progressed into a form that could jeopardize the entire system,"

"The ISOs aren't _flaws_ Clu," Flynn reminded him, "They're as much a part of the Grid as _you_ are,"

"Flaws, my apology, I misspoke," Clu apologized, "I meant _deviations_ ,"

Anon muttered something and Quorra saw Tron nudge him none-too-gently.

"Programs with free will aren't deviations, Clu, they're a _miracle_!" Flynn said slowly so that Clu would get it this time, "It's my fault you don't get it. I programmed you…your limits are _my_ doing,"

Clu's face darkened slightly and unless Quorra was imagining things, she saw a flicker of gold in Clu's circuits.

"That wasn't a knock on you buddy," Flynn said gently, "It was a knock on me. But let's focus on what's important…eradicating this virus has to be top priority,"

* * *

01010011 01101001 01101100 01100101 01101110 01100011 01100101 01100100

* * *

They started to move, out, walking out of the amphitheater and Quorra followed, quickly moving through the shadows and up into a building overlooking the Arcade.

"Anon!" Tron yelled, and the Flynn Monitor sprinted up to his mentor, helmet rezzed.

"Yes, Tron?"

"Those Infected Programs…make sure they don't get too far, derezz them if you have to, quarantine them if you can,"

He gave a nod.

"After I get Flynn out…I'll come back to help you," Tron told him, "Remember, Abraxas is _mine_ ,"

"I'll do what I can," Anon answered, running off.

Tron turned to Flynn.

"I don't know what a virus will do to a User, but I doubt it will be pleasant," he warned him as they walked, "You need to get out of here. Your transport to the portal is waiting for you. I don't like it when you cut it this close,"

"Will you stop worrying, Tron?" Flynn snorted, "Everything's just fine,"

"Except the fact that we have a virus in the system now,"

"Tron…" Flynn groaned, exasperated, "Everything's under control!"

"FLYNN!" Clu called.

Both of User and Basic froze, looking at him in…gold-yellow circuit color.

Quorra watched in growing fear as Clu called out again.

"Am I still to create the perfect system?" he asked.

"…Yeah?" Flynn answered, puzzled.

A slow smirk spread across Clu's face as a helmet formed over his head and four Guards stalked out, Disks lit.

Quorra's eyes widened and she covered her hand with her mouth. A _coup_! Clu was going to overthrow Flynn…

"Go," Tron growled, taking out his own Disk as Flynn fled.

The first one came at the Protector, he smacked his Disk away before ramming his own under his chin, derezzing him. The second came at Tron, the Monitor grabbed his Disk, elbowing him in the face before slashing at him, derezzing him with his own Disk as it still hummed in Tron's hand. The Hero looked down at his hands…almost surprised as the two Disks still whirred and hummed in his barely lit hands.

Tron shook his head and settled into a fighting stance, daring the others to come at him.

He ducked underneath their Disks and derezzed one before disarming the other and derezzing him too. Tron looked back and saw Flynn scooting backwards as Clu advanced.

The Protector ran forwards and tackled Clu.

"FLYNN! _GO_!" Tron yelled, punching Clu in the face.

Clu got up and grabbed Tron's arm, flipping him over on his back, Tron hit the ground hard, looking up just in time to see Clu raising his Disk.

Quorra gave a scream, closing her eyes as Tron gave a shriek of pain…and then it went silent.

The young ISO jammed her fist into her mouth as she fled. Clu killed Flynn and Tron…

He _killed_ Flynn and _TRON!_

She came to a stop, trying to catch her breath…when a flash of cobalt caught her eye.

Quorra looked up just in time to see Anon stumbling to a stop, helmet curving elegantly up over his head. The young Monitor hit the ground, a strangled cry emitting from him.

She wasn't alone…

Anon saw it too.

Quorra cleared her throat and pulled out a magnetic Disk upgrade…it was how she had always gotten around nowadays. She turned towards Anon.

"Hey! Over here!" she called, making Anon's head snap up, "Quick! Before they see you!"

Anon limped over to her…Quorra realized he was hurt as sapphire voxels splintered away from his leg. She tossed down the upgrade, smiling slightly as Anon juggled it for a second before looking at her.

"Upload it to your Disk, makes getting around a lot easier,"

She watched as Anon did so and held his Disk out, watched as the grappling feature on his Disk activated and he shot into the air, landing none-too-gracefully beside her. She knelt down and looked at the wound on his leg. Already his repair system had kicked in…he wouldn't have a scar when it was done.

But something was wrong…

She looked out over the square, at the ruby and sapphire voxels that littered it.

"That was Clu…" she stammered, "He…he _killed_ Flynn and Tron…"

Anon gave a sad nod, bowing his head. She could hear the soft _plink_ of tears as they hit the glass of his helmet.

"We need to tell somebody… _everybody_ ," Quorra said firmly, "They need to know what Clu's _done_!"

Anon gave a short shake of his head and pointed at her.

_"Me_?" Quorra blinked, "You have to help me tell them! You can't stay quiet forever Anon, I know you're grieving but you have…"

Anon derezzed his helmet and ran his fingers over the armor at his throat, derezzing it and revealing a jagged, sapphire code scar that crossed over his vocal chords…still dripping azure code.

He tried to speak, but a thin rasp was all he could muster before he gripped his throat once more from the pain and reactivated his helmet.

Quorra's pale face went even paler.

"You…can't…can you?" she breathed.

He gave a sad shake of his head and Quorra wrapped her arms around him.

Anon, the happy-go-lucky Monitor that was always up for a good prank, who never shut up when you got him started on a subject…was now a mute.

"I'm so sorry," she breathed, "I…"

Anon held up a hand and put it on her shoulder, she could almost see the sad half-smile on his face as he shook his head and gestured with his free hand, telling her to continue with her plan.

"There's a Program who can help us. Zuse. He believes in peace between ISOs and Basics. He runs an ISO friendly club in the city ce…" Quorra started…and she heard a coughing rasp as Anon's shoulders shook.

"What?" she asked, "Are you ok? What hurts…"

Anon shook his head and that's when Quorra got it…that horrible, strangled sound was him _laughing_!

He took off his Disk and pulled up a memory file…Quorra watched as the ghostly figures of Tron, Yori, Anon and Zuse filled the screen. Zuse stole a kiss from Yori…and then Tron decked the Entertainment Program, his Disk sliding out as he pinned him.

"You know him then…" Quorra grinned, "Or…well…you've seen what Tron did to him,"

Anon's raspy, strangled laugh continued for a few more nanos as he replaced his Disk and nodded.

"And you know if anyone knows how to get the news out, it's _him_ ," Quorra continued.

Anon gave an unamused tilt of his head…Quorra got the feeling he didn't like the idea.

She heard the rumble of Recognizers coming towards them and an idea formed. She turned back to Anon.

"We should split up," she told him, "With luck, at least one of us will make it,"

She started towards the railing and leaped off it, landing on the leg of the passing Recognizer as Anon gave a raspy squawk of protest.

"I'll see you there!" she waved as the young Monitor passed out of sight.

* * *

01010011 01101001 01101100 01100101 01101110 01100011 01100101 01100100

* * *

Quorra made it to the End of Line club quite easily. She stood inside the doorway, watching as three heavily armed sentries made their way towards the entrance.

She didn't say anything, only hoping that they didn't ask too many questions, but they ignored her, thankfully.

What _wasn't_ so good…was that as soon as the doors started sliding shut, Anon leaped from a balcony and landed on the terrace with the easy grace that he and Tron shared. Her core froze as Anon looked up as the Guards hefted their shields and Disks. The doors shut right as Anon took out his Disk and seemed to flip a switch inside it.

A few nanos later, after an explosion and a slight shaking of the ground, the doors slid open and Anon came in, brushing off a few stray scarlet voxels as he replaced his Disk.

"C'mon, follow me," Quorra told him as they stepped onto the elevator.

The ride was quiet, Anon's thin, ragged breaths being the only thing punctuating the silence. It didn't seem to bother him…or at least he didn't show it, but it slightly unnerved Quorra…

What if it hindered him as he fought? What if his injury reopened and he bled out? She'd lost Flynn, Tron, _and_ her father…

She didn't want to lose Anon.

The mute Monitor turned his head towards her, as if he was asking what was bothering her, but Quorra was saved from answering by the elevator doors opening.

She looked up and saw Zuse's familiar white clad form across the sea of Arjians, Bostrumites, and Basics.

"There's Zuse," she told her silent companion, "C'mon!"

The two waded through the sea of Programs. Anon actually looked a little nervous…like he didn't want to be here…

And then Quorra remembered something Flynn had told her about his Monitor.

Anon was claustrophobic, just like Tron was…but Anon got more agitated if he was in a crowd while Tron's came from being in tight spaces, whether a small room or a crowd it didn't matter.

If you wanted to freak both Monitors out…stick them in a small room or in a large crowd and it would do the trick.

Quorra brushed Anon's hand with her own, making the Monitor stiffen slightly before relaxing…and unless she was imagining things…she could have _sworn_ she saw a faint flicker of violet in his cobalt circuits.

_[Don't…like…]_ Anon pinged.

"At least you haven't lost that," Quorra said with a faint smile, "Why don't you ping instead of talk?"

_[Hurts]_ Anon admitted _[Speech processes…damaged. Not just…vocal]_

"That glitch…" Quorra growled darkly only for Anon to put a bigger hand on her shoulder as he shook his head.

"You're right," Quorra admitted, "But that doesn't undo what he did to you,"

She turned to the bar right as Zuse turned to see her. The Basic's eyes lit up brilliantly as he spotted her.

"Quorra!" he cried, as he embraced her and gave her an air kiss on either cheek, "My dear sweet Quorra, it's been _far_ too long!"

Quorra turned an icy blue gaze on him.

"We need your help, Zuse, something's happened," Quorra told him.

"If what has happened is _half_ as dire as your tone, I'll need a drink," Zuse deadpanned before turning to face the crowd, "Libations for…"

He froze as his gaze landed on Anon.

"Oh…Greetings, Monitor," Zuse murmured, bowing his head in acknowledgement of Anon's status as secondary Protector.

"He's ok, Zuse, he's with me," Quorra reassured him, looking at Anon…who looked like he wanted to sneak out of the room as fast as possible.

"Are you certain?" Zuse challenged, "For here ISOs and Basics mingle with abandon. It's the only ISO safe haven in all the city,"

Anon shuffled uneasily, looking around uncomfortably and trying not to make eye contact with Zuse…or at least, that's what Quorra assumed.

"As you well know…" Zuse continued, leaning in to challenge Anon further, "Not all approve or such policies. I've heard of the saboteurs that have reared their destructive heads of late and frankly I like my business…"

Anon's thin breaths came quicker and Quorra thought the poor Monitor was going to overheat and crash if Zuse tormented him even more…

"So pardon my caution," Zuse finished, backing off a bit and letting the mute Monitor relax.

"He's on our side and we _need_ him," Quorra insisted before leaning in and telling Zuse everything she knew, "Clu's taken over the Grid…he must have been planning it for some time. He had soldiers, tanks…who knows what else!"

"Surely not!" Zuse gasped, "How did this happen? Flynn would never _allow_ Clu such rein!"

Quorra fought back the tears that wanted to come…she wished she had her own helmet covering her face like her friend's…as she saw Anon bow his head sadly.

"Flynn's dead," she murmured sadly, "Tron too…Clu _killed them_!"

"And…and you know this how?" Zuse stammered, his already pale face even paler.

"We saw him do it," Quorra stated and Anon gave a sharp nod.

"I see matters are dire indeed," Zuse muttered, "And just as I was looking to move downtown…But! As luck would have it, I can help,"

Anon cocked his head and Quorra voiced his question.

"You have a plan?" she asked.

"Zuse _always_ has a plan!" the Entertainment Program chuckled.

Quorra shot Anon a triumphant smile, she _told_ him Zuse would help!

"But I urge caution," he told them both, "If Clu can harm the User, his reach knows no bounds. You will need an advantage…"

He reached for Quorra's Disk, making Anon stiffen slightly and poise to take out his own.

"Your Disk my dear?" Zuse asked.

Quorra shot Anon a calming look and handed the ebony and sapphire ring to Zuse. The Entertainment Program took Quorra's Disk and waved his hand over it, a soft whirring sound came from the Disk and gridwork shimmered over its surface, glowing pure white for a moment before fading.

"You now have full access to the Solar Sailer controls. I'd suggest borrowing one headed to Arjia city immediately," Zuse advised, throwing Quorra a pointed look as she put her Disk up, "Find Radia before Clu does. She can spread the news to the ISO factions faster than anyone…and they will _listen_ to her,"

"Thank you," Quorra said with a faint smile.

"Of _course_ darling," Zuse beamed, giving two more air kisses and making Anon give a grating growl of dissent, "Vive la…"

Suddenly the building shook and Programs began screaming, rushing around and hurrying for the exit as something large and lit with bloody crimson and orange came into view.

"Resistance…" Zuse trailed off, eyes wide as he stared at the massive ship, "It seems moving day has come a bit sooner than expected!"

And he bolted as blue light lit up the area. Quorra whipped out one of the batons strapped to her side, courtesy of Tron's incessant drilling that she have at _least_ two on her person at all times, and shoved it into Anon's lax hand.

"Take this!" she ordered, shoving him towards the window, "NOW GO!"

Anon didn't protest, but he did give a squawk of questioning as Quorra shoved him _through_ the window…

And the two broke their batons, racing down the side of the building on their lightcycles as the club exploded behind them.


	9. Arjia

Quorra and Anon shot off the side of the building right as a piece of it slammed into the ground right where they had been. Quorra screeched to a halt, breathing hard as her hands shook, and stood upright, derezzing the bike underneath her back into its baton form. Anon poked her in the back with the one she gave him, making her jump like she had been shocked.

Anon's helmeted head ducked apologetically and Quorra waved him off.

"You're fine," she told him, taking back the baton, "But don't you want to keep it?"

Anon shot her a 'really?' look, his helmeted visage conveying just as much emotion as his true face. He patted his hip, showing off on fifth generation bike baton.

"Ah…I forgot…Tron trained you too," Quorra apologized before turning back to the wreckage that was once the club.

The Child ISO shook her head in disbelief.

"He _knew_ ," she whispered, "He _knew_ that was a haven for ISOs…this is what he _wants_!"

She turned to Anon, whose thin breaths had the hint of a growl in them.

"Clu's declared war on the ISOs!" she concluded and Anon gave a nod of affirmation and then pointed upwards at the warship hovering over the wreckage, "I see…and I don't like. With a weapon like that…Who will help us?"

If they _tried_ …Clu'd blast the bits out of them…and their city!

There was a faint clattering sound…probably some rubble or at least that's what Quorra thought…

Until Anon shoved her out of the way right as an explosion seared her vision. Quorra shook her head and got up, looking at the mute Monitor who got to his feet.

"You ok?" she asked, getting a nod as an answer.

She looked around, trying to find their attacker…and her code froze as she saw who it was.

"THAT'S ONE OF THE GUARDS THAT KILLED TRON!" she yelled, pointing at the Black Guard who whirled away.

Anon gave a horrible, rasping snarl as his Disk flickered out and he started forwards, vengeance clear in his stance.

"Meet me at the docks!" Quorra called as she staggered to her feet, "Go!"

Anon looked at her, worry radiating from him.

"GO!" Quorra yelled, turning away and running through the alley as a Recognizer came down.

She heard the sound of fighting and of Programs being derezzed. She dearly hoped that Anon wasn't one of them.

* * *

01000001 01110010 01101010 01101001 01100001

* * *

Quorra, after dodging Guards and hiding from Clu's forces, finally made it to the docks. She didn't know if Clu remembered what she was…and she didn't want to know if he did or not, hence the caution. The young ISO leaned against a support beam, catching her breath. It was so glitching hard to think around here with all the explosions going on!

Wait… _explosions_?!

Quorra looked up, her icy-blue gaze scanning over the crowd…just to see Anon racing forwards, full tilt towards the Solar Sailer. Well…she _did_ tell him to meet her at the docks.

Anon suddenly screeched to a halt as an orange force-field flickered up, separating him from Quorra and the other spectators.

The young Monitor gave an ungodly screech, something that should _not_ have come from his ruined vocalizer, right as the Black Guard leaped agilely from the sign, a fistful of grenades ready for Anon.

Anon was just as ready, his Disk out and glowing with lethal intent. Quorra watched in growing terror and fascination as Anon seemed to dance around his opponent, his Disk flickering out and biting deep into the Guard's armor, knocking it backwards as a minor explosion flared from the Disk. The Guard climbed up on top of the sign and leaped off it, spreading the wings of its chute and raining down grenades as it went.

The young Monitor dodged them with ease until finally he tackled the Black Guard, driving his Disk through its chest and watching as it crumbled into thousands upon thousands of scarlet cubes.

The force-field fizzled and guttered out, letting Quorra run to her friend.

"Wow, you _are_ good," Quorra noted as Anon stood and looked at her.

He didn't need to say anything for Quorra to get what he was thinking.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, we know, you're amazing," Quorra teased, poking him, "C'mon, let's get going,"

She raced onto the Sailer controls and used the knowledge downloaded by Zuse to hack into the controls and set them for Arjia. Anon gave an approving nod right as the Sailer began to move towards the city.

* * *

01000001 01110010 01101010 01101001 01100001

* * *

Quorra wandered up to the top deck to see how far they were from Arjia…when she saw Anon leaning on the railing with his Disk in his hands and his helmet off.

"Anon! What are you doing!?" Quorra gasped, running forwards and grabbing his shoulder, "You could bleed out and…"

Anon turned towards her, his piercing sky-colored gaze questioning as he revealed that he had put a patch over the nasty wound.

The look he gave her as she gaped at the very well done medical patch…it screamed 'What? You think I'm completely useless at this kinda thing?'

"Sorry," Quorra apologized, "It's just, I didn't remember Tron ever telling you how to do that,"

Anon shook his blond waves and tapped his chest.

"You taught yourself?" she asked incredulously, "I didn't know that Basics could go against their programming,"

Anon rolled his eyes and turned back to his Disk, pulling up a memory file. Quorra saw Flynn in the picture, helping a newly rezzed Anon to stand, a proud smile on his face as he turned to those behind him. Clu and Tron if Quorra was seeing things right.

Anon suddenly shut off the memory, his hands gripping the rim of the Disk so hard Quorra was afraid that he'd snap it in two. She looked up at the young Monitor's face…which had turned into a pained grimace as tears streamed down his pale cheeks.

"…It wasn't your fault, you know," Quorra told him, putting a hand on his shoulder, "You did what you were supposed to do. You survived,"

Anon jerked his shoulder away from her touch, violently shaking his head, denying either the words, or the implication. Quorra bit her lip, and looked out across the Grid again.

What could she say that would ease his pain? Anon hadn't just lost one family member like she had…he'd lost _everything_. His 'father' and mentor were both dead, his brother betrayed him and stole his voice…and the other brother, Flynn's _real_ son…he was a world away and likely never even knew about his digital brothers.

And that's when she saw them.

Quorra pointed at the dark above them, blue eyes wide with wonder.

"Look!"

Anon looked up, immediately on guard…and then he relaxed, his sky-colored gaze wide with awe as brilliantly colored banners of geometric lines waved lazily in the stillness.

No one really knew what the function of these lights was intended to be, but no one needed to know the proper label to tag them as "beautiful" in their memory files.

Anon tilted his head at Quorra, and pointed at the lights with clear question as to what their function was. Quorra shrugged, and grinned at him to indicate she didn't know, and didn't mind that she didn't, either.

Quorra's smile remained as she watched the Grid's version of an aurora borealis dance, and weave in harmony with their surroundings. Her fingers were less tense, now, and her expression was lit with shifting colors; from blue, to violets, to an array of greens, and back again.

Anon closed his eyes as a faint smile painted his tired features…right as a pale, white light lit up the deck. The young Monitor's eyes flashed open as he pointed off the deck.

Quorra's eyes slid from the lights down to the tall, reaching spires of...

"Arjia city," she beamed, "Isn't it spectacular? Build right on the nexus of every stream of code in the entire system,"

She turned to look at Anon.

"Radia can tell everyone what we saw from here. The tallest one is the Hub," Quorra explained, " _That's_ where we'll find her,"

The Sailer slowed to a stop and Anon put up his helmet again, his features hidden underneath the ebon glass once again.

"C'mon," Quorra motioned as the Sailer came to a stop, "Let's get moving!"

She leaped off the Sailer and she thought she heard Anon give a frustrated 'not again!' sigh as he followed. Quorra threw him a bright smile and raced forwards into Arjia. The ISOs saw her and most of them gave reverent nods…which Quorra ignored.

For there was something else that caught her eye…

It was Anon's picture…on a _wanted_ poster.

Quorra turned around to face her friend right as Anon came to a stop.

"Seems they're expecting you," Quorra joked, making Anon give a frustrated growl, "Time for a new course for you,"

Anon cocked his head warily.

"Find a service tunnel," she told him, walking towards one that she and Jalen had used many, _many_ times before to sneak out of Arjia, "You'll be able to move through the city's subsystem undetected,"

_"Except by my mother…but only if she's looking for you,"_ Quorra thought with a slight amount of irritancy.

"I'll head topside and meet you at the Hub," she finished, putting a hand on his shoulder, "Be careful,"

Anon threw his head back and gave that awful, half-choked sound that was his laughter. Quorra remembered him always telling her what he thought of danger.

_"Danger? Ha! I_ laugh _in the face of danger. Hahahaha!"_

"Just…don't get yourself derezzed," Quorra deadpanned as she sensed Anon's smirk.

The young Monitor leaped up into the service tunnel and Quorra turned towards the elevator.

* * *

01000001 01110010 01101010 01101001 01100001

* * *

Quorra walked into the Hub…and nearly ran into Clu himself! The young ISO dashed around the corner, hiding in a small alcove as the dictator walked by, his golden circuits flashing brightly. As the last of his entourage passed, Quorra let out a small breath of relief. They hadn't seen her…so that was good.

She heard footsteps once again and peeked out…just to see Anon carefully making his way towards the Code Nexus.

"Hey! Over here!" Quorra called quietly.

Thankfully, Anon's hearing was still as sharp as ever and he jogged over to her hiding space.

"Clu's here," she told him, getting a soft, angry, strangled growl from him, "Knock it off, Anon! Anyway, I just managed to slip by him…I think he means to see Radia just like we want to. There's a small alcove right above the Code Nexus…right this way. Follow me…and _be quiet_ ,"

Anon shot her a 'really?' look, gesturing at his throat and then making a zipping motion over the portion of his helmet where his mouth would be. Quorra gave him a slight whack on the shoulder and then snuck away as he gave his choked laughter.

The two crouched down, watching as Clu approached the shining, brilliantly glowing figure of Radia in the Nexus.

"I can't do this without you, Radia," Clu stated, playing innocent very well, "With Tron and Flynn going down to that virus…"

He bowed his head and Anon stiffened, growling darkly. His growl kept skipping out, like he was trying to mutter some unflattering things about his older brother. Quorra held the Monitor's arm, keeping him from rushing out into the open and derezzing Clu.

"It's up to us to keep Flynn's dream of unity alive," Clu continued, "But none of that will matter if this virus isn't stopped,"

"We will do what we must to preserve the Grid, Clu," Radia said gently, "But we have questions surrounding the demise of Flynn…how did it happen?"

Clu's face turned sad…and Quorra had to admit he was a pretty good actor.

"A System Monitor, gone rogue from infection. He attacked them," Clu started and Anon lunged…only for Quorra to catch him, "I was too late,"

_"Enough_!" Quorra hissed quietly.

"A tragedy, truly," Radia murmured, "How may we assist you?"

A smile played around Clu's face.

"Thank you," he nodded, "We have to stop the spread of the Abraxas virus before it grows even stronger. Contact the other faction leaders. Have the gather every ISO within their sectors. It will make the eradication of this… _blight_ …much easier,"

"Of course," Radia stated, "Consider it done,"

"I knew I could count on you," Clu smiled, "Well, now I should go…there's...much to do,"

He turned to go and his guards followed.

"Goodbye, Radia," he called, "Together we'll get through this difficult time. I promise,"

The doors shut and Quorra let out the breath she had been holding.

"You can come out now, Quorra," Radia called, making Quorra and Anon jump.

_[How'd you know I was there?]_ Quorra pinged.

_[I'm your mother. I know things]_ Radia deadpanned as Quorra and Anon both came up to the dais where Radia stood.

Radia's eyes widened slightly as Anon came out of Quorra's shoulder.

"The System Monitor?" Radia breathed, " _You're_ the one Clu's looking for? The one _responsible_ for this tragedy!?"

Anon shook his head violently as the Nexus rumbled with Radia's pain and anger.

"Clu's _lying_ Radia!" Quorra protested, coming to her friend's aid, "Anon didn't kill Flynn and Tron, _Clu_ did! We _witnessed it_!"

Radia blinked in surprise. Quorra didn't associate with liars and murderers…there had to be _some_ merit to her words…

"Did you?" Radia murmured, "Then let me see as well,"

The Alpha-Class ISO shut her eyes, the streams of code burning and whipping around her, blinding Quorra and Anon both…

_Clu's helmet sliding over his face._

_Tron and Flynn looking at the Admin in shock._

_A Black Guard stalking from the corner._

_Anon screaming and then being silenced as Clu raised his Disk again._

_Flynn_ running _as Tron fell._

_A Bostrumite, Gibson, looking up under his hood._

_Anon and Quorra leaping off the building as it exploded behind them._

_Gibson talking with Flynn and Flynn nodding, pulling up the hood of his cloak as they walked into the Outlands._

"It is…as you say," Radia breathed, "Mostly,"

Quorra's head shot up.

" _Mostly_?!" she demanded.

"Flynn… _lives_ ," Radia said, walking out onto the floor, her bare feet making no noise as she walked, "Tron sacrificed himself to ensure that it was so,"

She looked at her daughter, her honey colored eyes soft and pleading.

"Quorra, inform the other ISO factions of what you have seen," she asked, "The truth _must_ be known!"

"Of course, right away," Quorra nodded, turning to go…

"Be vigilant," Radia added, making Quorra stop, "Clu's focus is unwavering and _lethal_. Avoid him at all costs,"

The room faded out and Radia saw some… _different_ …images.

_Quorra standing with a young, blond male with Flynn's eyes and blinding white circuits._

_Her daughter standing in the_ sunlight _holding the hand of a small child who had her icy blue eyes and the male's blond hair._

_A Half-ISO/Half-User._

_The boy looked right at her…he_ knew _…the light-lines on his hands and arms proved what he was._

_Her_ grandchild _…_

Radia came back to the present, a soft smile painting her face.

"More than you can imagine, Quorra," Radia continued, looking at her daughter with love and pride, "Our _future_ rests with you,"

Quorra looked at her mother strangely…this was a new level of odd…even for her mother.

But she shook it off. There wasn't time to wonder, there was only time to act…

And she didn't have much of that either.


	10. Loss

Chapter 10

Loss

Quorra wandered through the system, searching for other ISOs. She met with many, but almost as soon as she reached that enclave, Clu's forces were there and blasted the ISO towers to pieces…along with his Guards rushing in and killing ISOs in the streets.

Her travels took her to Thallium, which resulted in her  _finally_  getting through to the ISO leader in the city.

"You say Clu's forces are coming for us," the leader, a tall, stately female named Risa, started, "Then I believe you, my lady,"

Risa clasped her hands and turned towards the balcony.

"I always knew there was something… _off_  about that Admin," Risa growled, "But  _murder_!? It is good the User is alive, but we need to know where he is,"

"This was the last stop on my journey," Quorra said, "I can search after I am done here,"

Risa nodded, her deep brown eyes hardening slightly.

"Lady Quorra…I may not have your mother's gift of clairvoyance," she began, "But I  _do_  know when danger threatens my city. I fear that Thallium will not survive the night. Will you do something for me?"

"Just name it," Quorra stated, "I'll do my best to do what is needed,"

Risa turned to the side.

"Ada!" she called and a tall, dark-haired ISO girl ran in.

"Yes Mother?" Ada asked before seeing Quorra, "Oh! Greetings, my lady,"

"Please, you don't have to give me any formalities," Quorra said shyly.

Risa gave a soft smile and turned to her daughter.

"Ada, I need you to go with Quorra," she said softly, "I don't know if we'll get to see each other again…"

"What are you talking about?" Ada asked.

"Clu's declared war on the ISOs," Quorra told her, "He's destroyed the End of Line club in Tron City as well as the enclave there, he's destroyed the Enclaves in Argon and Gallium as well,"

"But we're safe here…right?" Ada asked, looking up at her mother, " _Right_?"

"I don't know," Risa admitted, "But I'd rather have my daughter safe and sound than constantly worry that Clu will end my line,"

"But what about  _you_?" Ada asked softly.

"I'll be fine," Risa promised, holding her daughter's shoulders.

"I'll take good care of her, Risa," Quorra started, "I have a friend that's a Monitor…he's helping me take down Clu,"

"Good," Risa nodded, "Ada, I want you to go to Arjia with Quorra, I need you to…"

"My lady!" an ISO guard started, "Recognizers to the east…along with this warship of some sort,"

"The  _Regulator_ ," Quorra breathed, "Risa, Clu's coming…we need to get as many ISOs out as we can,"

_"No,"_  Risa shook her head, "I need you to get Ada out. Bring her to Radia…perhaps she can help us,"

Quorra nodded and Ada rushed to her mother, embracing her tightly.

"Goodbye my dear one," Risa murmured, kissing Ada's dark head, "If I don't see you soon…then we will meet on the other side,"

Ada nodded tearfully and turned to follow Quorra.

The two ran out of the Enclave and into the streets, rezzing two lightcycles and shooting out of Thallium…

Right as the Regulator leveled the city.

* * *

01001100 01101111 01110011

* * *

"Ada," Quorra tried again as they walked into the Gallium city limits, "You have to talk sometime,"

"You have your home destroyed right in front of you…see how you like it," Ada snapped, grossing her arms, "As far as I know, Arjia still stands while Thallium and my  _mother_  are nothing but dusty voxels,"

"I know what you're going through…" Quorra started.

"NO YOU DON'T!" Ada yelled, "YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO  _LOSE_  SOMEONE YOU LOVE MORE THAN ANYTHING!"

"You assume too much," Quorra replied icily.

She turned her head as images and sounds flooded her memory. Gentle, ice blue eyes, an easy smile, a loud laugh, her mother's tears, a broken piece of Disk that Quorra still carried…

"You remember the fate of Jalen?" Quorra asked softly, closing her eyes.

Ada's eyes turned less fiery and she put a hand on Quorra's shoulder.

"I…I'm sorry. You've lost a family member too. The whole ISO community knows what you've lost. I shouldn't have snapped,"

"You were angry," Quorra told her, "And grieving…My mother snapped at quite a few attendants in the few cycles after my father's death. I ran and avoided Arjia and the Gaming Grid like they were infested with Gridbugs,"

Ada gave a small sigh and Quorra put her arm around her.

"Don't worry, everything's going to be fine…you'll see,"

Ada gave a slight smile and Quorra returned it…only to freeze a few moments later.

"Quorra…what's wrong?" Ada asked.

"We're being followed," Quorra growled softly as out of the alleyway came a group of masked, male Programs.

"More like surrounded," Ada whispered.

"What are two pretty little Programs doing out in the streets at  _this_  time of the night?" one of them asked.

"That's none of your concern," Quorra growled.

"You lost?"

"Like she said," Ada piped up, "That's none of your concern,"

The male turned to his friends a smile on his face.

"C'mon," he purred, grabbing Ada's arm, "We'll help you find your way,"

Ada's free hand snapped out and crashed against the male's helmet, knocking him back a few feet.

He shook his head, and his exposed mouth curved down into an unamused smile as he ignited his Disk and slashed. Ada screamed and Quorra yelled, her own Disk flickering out and sending the offending weapon slashing off to the side…nicking her own side but not before hitting Ada pretty badly.

Ada crumpled to the ground, her eyes fluttering shut and Quorra knelt next to her.

She glared up at the group.

"Leave us alone!" Quorra snarled, holding Ada as the gang came closer.

They just laughed and Quorra renewed her grip on the blazing Disk, if they thought she was just going to  _let_  them kill her…

They were  _sadly_  mistaken.

A black and mint green blur appeared out of nowhere, launching upwards and wrapping a thin arm around one of the gang member's throats, yanking him backwards. Quorra's ice-blue eyes locked onto the honey-colored gaze of her rescuer…a  _medic_!

The medic launched into the fight, kicking and hitting. Quorra staggered upright, her hand still clamped over her side, blue code dripping from the wound. The medic stood upright, her honey-colored eyes bright and warm as she smirked.

"Nice," Quorra beamed.

A shuffling sound caught her attention as a gang member charged her.

_"Use your opponent's momentum against them!"_  Tron's ghost ordered from the recesses of her memory.

Quorra whipped around, grabbing the Program's outstretched hand by the wrist and flipped him over her shoulder, sending him crashing to the ground.

" _Nice_!" the medic smiled.

Quorra gave a weak smile before turning back to Ada. The Child ISO picked up her fellow Child ISO friend and slung her arm over her shoulders.

"Thanks," Quorra said, "You're a medic…right?"

She nodded, coming to the other side of Ada and picking up some of the weight.

"Let's get you both fixed up," the medic started, "I'm Paige,"

"Quorra," the daughter of Jalen and Radia replied, "It's nice to meet you, Paige,"

* * *

01001100 01101111 01110011

* * *

Paige was  _wonderfully_  skilled, healing Quorra's slash in a matter of nanos. Ada took more time, seeing as she was more damaged than either of them.

Quorra looked at her friend, worried.

"Will she be alright?" she asked Paige.

"Some of her wounds were pretty nasty," Paige admitted, "But…she'll make it,"

Quorra gave a sigh of relief and then hung her head.

"I guess we made easy targets," she muttered.

Paige picked up Quorra's Disk and turned it on, showing the holographic image of Quorra's code. The triple helix signature of the ISOs cast its soft Arjian white light across the room. Even Radia's skill couldn't hide the white light of Quorra's code.

"Your code is  _extremely_  complex," Paige murmured, "And I think I see two different types…let me guess…you're a Child Program?"

Quorra gave a faint smile and shrugged.

"Who are your parents then?" Paige's friend, Rox, asked.

"My father is dead," she said.

"I'm sorry," Paige comforted, "If you don't mind me asking…how did he die?"

Quorra bowed her head.

"The games," she murmured, "He died fighting,"

"I'm sorry," Paige replied.

"It's fine," Quorra dismissed, "But…what was this about my code?"

"Oh…I've never seen anything like it," Paige shrugged.

"I'll take that as a compliment," Quorra replied with a faint smile as Paige returned her Disk, "Times are hard…ever since the War,"

"Are you soldiers?" Paige asked.

Quorra gave a sad smile…Paige's curiosity rivaled that of any ISO…including herself.

"Refugees," Quorra corrected, "My home city became a target of the Purge…I ran and met up with Ada, whose city also fell victim to the Purge when some ISOs were discovered there…we barely made it out alive,"

"It must have been  _terrifying_  having ISOs in your own city," Rox started.

"I've heard they're insane," Paige's other friend, Dex, continued, "That they can even derezz Programs with their bare hands…"

Quorra's eyes flashed in slight anger before cooling.

"I'm…pretty sure that's just a rumor," she said through gritted teeth.

Paige picked up on Quorra's anger and she turned to her friends.

"Why don't you guys go and check on that patient with the derezzed leg?" she asked, "He kept complaining that he was in pain,"

"Sure," Rox said, grabbing Dex's arm, "C'mon, let's go,"

Quorra turned her icy gaze to Paige.

"Thanks," she said, "I don't mind people talking about the ISOs…its when they bring up those ridiculous rumors that irritates me,"

"I could tell,"

"They're not evil," Quorra continued, "Some of my friends were among the faction…and where I lived, almost every other Program was an ISO,"

"Where  _did_  you live? Not Arjia…"

Quorra gave a helpless shrug.

"You're an Arjian," Paige said with an incredulous laugh.

"All my run-time," Quorra smiled.

"I've never been…is it as beautiful as they say?"

Quorra gave a fond smile as she closed her eyes.

"Oh  _yes_ ," she said, "The delicate buildings that look like they'd derezz if you touch them but can hold many times our own weight, the sparkling of the code as it streams through the streets and into the Nexus, the  _music_ …"

"Music?" Paige asked, intrigued, "I've always wanted to hear the music of the other cities…I've just about heard everything here in Gallium. I've even gone to making my own,"

"You  _play_?" Quorra asked, wide eyed, "Would you mind if Ada and I heard you…once she wakes up?"

Paige gave a slightly nervous smile.

"Sure,"

* * *

01001100 01101111 01110011

* * *

Nanos later, Ada woke up and Paige came back with a Monome. The young Medic set the instrument on the table and began to play, Quorra leaned on the table her foot tapping to the beat of the soft, beautiful melody.

"It's  _beautiful_ ," she whispered and Paige stopped.

"Ah it's…it's really simple," Paige stammered, "It's just something I made up. I wasn't programmed for music,"

"You could have fooled me," Ada stated, getting up and walking over to the table.

"Well you're  _obviously_  capable of learning some things that aren't in your programming," Quorra pointed out, "I have a friend who does a pretty good patch job even though he's not a Medic,"

"Your playing proves it," Ada nodded.

"It's not very hard," Paige dismissed with a slight laugh.

"I'm sure you could learn  _anything_  you put your mind to," Quorra told her.

"Like…how to take someone down in a single move?" Paige grinned, her arms held in a ready position, "Like you?"

Quorra looked at Ada, who grinned back.

"Why not?" Quorra shrugged, walking around the table and motioning for Paige to join her, "The  _key_  is to use your opponent's momentum against them,"

She held up her fists in a standard ready position.

"Punch me," she ordered.

Paige swung, it was uncontrolled and wild, but there was a lot of power behind it. Quorra's hands, movements honed to perfection by both her father and Tron's training, moved swiftly and grabbed Paige's wrist, flipping the Medic over her shoulder with a yelp.

"Wow!" Paige said with a shaky gasp, "That's  _amazing_! Who  _taught_  you!?"

Quorra gave a sad smile.

"It doesn't matter…they're both long derezzed," she sighed, "Now, let me show you again.  _Slowly_. Then  _you_  can try,"

She set herself in a ready position…when a flicker of black caught her eye. Ada was wildly pointing at Quorra's arm. Paige's honey colored gaze widened and then narrowed while Quorra's slid down at her arm…

Just to see the stark, Arjian-white ISO glyph burning against her skin.

_"Oh_ no _!"_  Quorra thought, her hand clamping over her arm.

"Oh no…" Paige breathed, "You're an  _ISO_!"

"Paige…" Quorra pleaded, eyes wild.

" _That's_  why your code was so complex!" Paige fumed, " _Why_  didn't you tell me!?"

"Would you have helped us if I had?" Quorra asked.

"She'll alert the patrols," Ada said, coming to Quorra's side, "We  _can't_  allow that,"

Paige gave a frustrated growl, pushing past Quorra and swept the Monome off the table, exposing the red alarm button.

Ada started forwards, but Quorra stopped her.

"You  _have_  to believe me, Paige," Quorra pleaded, "We're  _not_  dangerous! We just want to live in  _peace_! Everything on the Grid,  _including_  you and your friends, was designed by Flynn…except for  _us_! We're  _free_! It's the  _only_  reason we're being hunted. Please…don't say anything to anyone. I can trust you…can't I?"

Paige's hard amber gaze flicked to Quorra…and she crossed her arms, storming out of the room.

Quorra gave a sigh of relief.

One crisis averted.

* * *

01001100 01101111 01110011

* * *

Quorra and Ada walked up behind Paige, who was staring out over Gallium with her Monome in hand.

"Ada and I are…leaving now," Quorra said softly.

Silence.

Quorra's gaze flicked to the Monome and she gave a sad smile.

"I'm sorry I won't get to hear you play again…" she started, right as alarms went off.

All three female Programs looked around wildly and Quorra's core sank as she saw what was going on outside…

Recognizers…lots and lots of Recognizers flying into the city.

**"Attention Programs: An ISO contamination has been reported. Please prepare Disks for scanning."**

Even the Grid Herself seemed to be against them. Quorra knew that if they scanned Paige's Disk…they'd find out that she helped them and didn't turn them in when she had the chance…

They'd kill her.

Quorra took a deep breath and started forwards, throwing Paige across the hall and into the wall, making the young Medic hit her head hard. Paige's golden eyes looked up weakly at Quorra, betrayal clear in them.

"Sorry Paige," Quorra breathed as the honey-colored eyes fluttered shut.

"Quorra… _why_?" Ada asked, "Now she'll never trust ISOs!"

"Yeah," Quorra told her, "But at least she'll be alive. C'mon,"

And they ran.

The two had almost made it out of the city when a spotlight came down on them. Both ISOs covered their faces with their hands and backed up.

"Halt!" a Black Guard ordered, "Relinquish your Disks for scanning!"

"Quorra…go!" Ada ordered, "I'll hold them off!"

"But…" Quorra protested.

"You have something to live for," Ada told her, "My family is  _gone_. Clu  _killed_  them! And with my wound…I'll only slow you down. Get back to Arjia, tell your mother what happened,"

Quorra embraced her friend and Ada did the same.

"Good luck, and may the User be with you," Ada said before turning around, pulling out a light baton and extending it into its katana form, "You want my Disk? COME AND TAKE IT!"

And she sprinted off.

Quorra ran in the opposite direction…but she wasn't far enough that she didn't hear Ada's screams.

* * *

01001100 01101111 01110011

* * *

Quorra had made it back to Arjia, breathing hard as she sat down in her hiding spot where she and Anon had first hid. Gone… _all of them_! All the ISOs were  _gone_!

She and Radia were the only ones left.

Quorra heard the sound of footsteps and she peeked out around the corner to see who it was. The young Child-ISO nearly cried in relief as she lunged out and grabbed Anon by the shoulder armor, making him squawk in surprise.

"Come here!" she ordered, sitting him down next to her, "We were too late. Clu hit every ISO enclave before we could prepare. It was brutal it was…it was a  _Purge_!"

She closed her eyes as the dying screams of her people echoed in her ears.

"I know Radia told me to…but I shouldn't have stayed hidden," she murmured, "Maybe I could have helped!"

Anon tilted his helmet towards her and Quorra sighed.

"You're right," she started, "I have to trust she had her reasons,"

She gestured for Anon to follow her and the two crawled back into their viewing spot…

Only to see Clu standing before Radia…and to say Radia looked angry would have been an understatement.

"Do what you're here to do," Radia spat bitterly as Clu circled her.

Quorra felt Anon tensing beside her, his circuits flickering darkly as his hands clenched. The young ISO didn't move though…she was too terrified of the scene before her. She had lost her father…now was she to lose her mother too?

"Oh, we'll get to that," Clu purred, "But first…tell me how it felt, the loss of  _every other ISO_  on the Grid…"

He turned towards her, smiling wickedly.

"Could you feel it?" he asked.

* * *

01001100 01101111 01110011

* * *

Radia's honey colored eyes hardened in pain and anger.  _Yes_  she felt it…but she knew that she was  _not_  the last. Quorra…oh  _no_.

Quorra was  _here_ ,  _watching_. Clu couldn't know…she had to keep Quorra hidden! She couldn't lose her daughter like she lost her Jalen.

"You're not capable of  _understanding_ ," Radia growled.

Clu scowled angrily, rejected by the ISO leader once again.

"Enough of this," he snarled, looking up…

Right as the soft, sinister footsteps of the Virus sounded off in the room. The Black Guards shied away from him and he didn't care.

He had eyes for only  _one_.

"Don't be afraid, Radia," the Virus whispered softly, " _I_  wasn't,"

Radia's core froze.

That  _voice_ …could it…? No,  _no_  that was  _impossible_!

But she  _had_  to know.

"Jalen?" she whispered, stunned, "Is…is that you?"

**" _Jalen_  is gone,"** the Virus stated,  **"It's _Abraxas_  now,"**

Oh Users…it  _was_  him!

She felt Quorra's shock from where she stood. Her father was  _alive_!

"The accident…" Radia murmured, turning to Clu, hot angry tears pricking her eyes, "You didn't  _kill_  him, Clu! You  _changed_ him!  _What did you DO!?"_

"I simply brought out his  _true_  self," Clu replied nonchalantly.

Radia's hands trembled as she reached out for her beloved…or what used to be him.

"Jalen…" she breathed, "What  _happened_?"

**"It doesn't _matter_!"**  Jalen, Abraxas, growled…with great difficulty as he leaned away from her healing touch, **" _This_  is what I am now…and what you  _will_  be,"**

She felt his gaze pierce her, like it had done all those cycles ago.

"A  _disease_ , in case you weren't following," Clu chimed in.

_"Shut._ Up _!"_  Radia internally howled,  _"Leave me be! Turn him back! Give my Jalen back to me!"_

"Like all ISOs," Clu continued, reaching up and caressing her cheek.

She saw the Virus tense as Clu touched her…and part of her dared to hope that the ISO she loved was still in there somewhere.

"It just needs a little  _encouragement_  to bring it out," Clu finished.

Radia glared at him.

"That abomination is  _not_  Jalen, not my  _husband._  It's not an  _ISO_ ," she snarled, shaking in cold fury, "It's a  _perversion_  that  _you_  created!"

Clu snorted.

" _Name calling_? Really?" he scoffed, " _That's_  how you want to go out?"

He brushed the crystal hanging from her headdress and Radia snapped.

Her hand snapped out and smacked against Clu's cheek, leaving a large red handprint on it. Clu's gold-tinted blue gaze blazed in anger as he turned away.

Radia's gaze turned towards what used to be Jalen right as he stalked towards her.

**"Goodbye…Radia…"**  the Virus whispered, rearing back his Disk.

"Radia…no!" she heard Quorra gasp.

The ISO turned her head towards her daughter, a sad smile gracing her face.

_"I love you, Quorra,"_  she mouthed before turning back to the Virus…

Right as he rammed his broken Disk into her chest.

Radia gasped as the infection's pain spread throughout her. She looked up at Jalen once more, a tear streaking down her face as light began to whirl around her…

And she let out a last cry before shattering into silver-white cubes.

* * *

01001100 01101111 01110011

* * *

"No!" Quorra cried softly, burying her head in her hands.

She felt Anon's arms wrap around her, trying to comfort her.

But she couldn't be comforted…she, like Anon, now had lost everything. Her people: dead, her mother: Dead too, her father:  _worse_  than dead. And it was all. Clu's.  _Fault_!

Quorra's eyes blazed angrily and she started towards the dictator…only for Anon to catch her arm.

"I  _can't_  hide anymore!" she hissed, tears streaming, "Clu  _has_  to be held accountable! For Radia, for _everyone_!"

She poked Anon in the chest hard.

"Either  _help_  me," she snarled, "Or  _step aside_!"

Anon threw a look at the Virus…at what used to be Quorra's father…Quorra knew that Anon had his directives screaming at him for the Virus' deresolution. And she didn't blame him for following his directive. After all…Anon  _was_  a Basic.

Abraxas had yet to move…it was as if he was staring at where Radia used to be…trying to figure out what exactly he had  _done_  to the love of his former life. Anon turned his blank, helmeted gaze back to Quorra, begging her forgiveness.

" _Fine_ ," she hissed, jerking her hand back and storming off.

Clu was going to  _die_  for what he did to her family!


	11. Dying Wish

Chapter 11

Dying Wish

Sneaking onto the Regulator was laughably easy. The Guards didn't even see Quorra as she snuck through the ship. She cradled the grenade that she had hacked together in her hand, looking up through the layers upon layers of machinery and piping.

Now all she had to do was find a weak part in the ship…a  _vital_  weak part in the ship and  _blow it up_.

She crept through to one of the engines, carefully looking to see if there was anyone around…thank the Users there weren't. She jumped down, holding the grenade in her hand before placing it on the engine.

"For my people, for Tron," Quorra murmured as she set the timer, "For my mother. For my…"

She closed her eyes as tears fell.

"For my father," she whispered, "For Jalen, who you turned into a monster,"

She set the bomb and started to turn…only to run into a group of Guards. Quorra lashed out, trying to cut through their ranks with her katana…but there were too many.

They subdued her and dragged her to the bridge…where Clu was standing with his back towards her.

"Sir," one of them started, "We found her around the engines, trying to sabotage them with a grenade. We destroyed the threat,"

"Good," Clu said before turning around.

His eyes scanned over her and Quorra's own ice-blue eyes narrowed.

"You're Anon's friend," he stated.

"What's it to you?" Quorra snarled.

"Didn't anyone tell you that sabotage is not polite!" Clu teased as Quorra struggled.

"After what  _you_  did I wasn't  _worried_  about manners!" Quorra snapped.

"What I  _did_  was fix a problem in my system! Most seem to appreciate my gift, why not you?"

That…honestly shocked Quorra a bit. Clu thought she was a Basic…not an ISO.  _Granted_ , he only saw her  _once_  in Arjian white and she was very young at the time…but still…

"Because I know the truth," Quorra spat, "I saw what you did to Flynn, to Tron, to Radia, to Jalen, to the  _ISOs_! I saw  _EVERYTHING!"_

"Really?" Clu asked innocently as he pulled out his Disk, "I thought I was being discreet!"

"I'll make sure  _everyone_  knows what happened," she hissed as he put the golden edge to her throat.

"That's going to be  _tough_ …"

A blur of black and white slammed into Clu's arm and the offending appendage burst into golden voxels, showering the floor with amber cubes.

The Disk that hit him ricocheted off the wall and back into a black and white Program's hand. Clu's gold-tinted eyes narrowed as he locked onto the blank, black helmet of a Program who made Quorra's core leap to see.

"ANON!" Clu snarled.

Anon gave a threatening, frigid growl in reply, chilling Quorra to the core. There was no fun-loving Monitor here. This one was hell-bent on destroying the monster that killed Tron, that nearly killed Flynn and Anon both. His own brother.

"WHY'S HE STILL HERE!?" Clu demanded, grabbing Quorra, "NOBODY'S KILLED HIM YET!? TAKE CARE OF THIS!"

The guards leaped towards Anon, but with righteous anger on the Monitor's side, they didn't stand a chance and they collapsed into cubes as Anon hurled his Disk at them.

More and more of them poured out of the doors.

"YOU'RE FASTER THAN THEY ARE!" she yelled down to Anon, "KEEP GOING! THEY CAN'T CATCH YOU!"

"I thought you were supposed to be  _elite_!" Clu screeched, as Anon derezzed Guard after Guard, seemingly flying and dancing around the arena, "Why haven't you killed him yet!? You're ticking me off by continuing to be  _alive_ Anon!"

"See Clu?" Quorra smirked, "We can and we  _will_  fight back. That's  _true_  courage! Go Anon! Cube those glitches!"

"Shut up you," Clu snarled, shaking her.

Anon's white Disk punched through the last Guard and he looked challengingly up at his older brother.

"Such a plucky spirit!" Clu sneered, "Love the upgrade brother, Flynn must have had a hand in it…tell me, how's our father doing?"

Anon snarled darkly, but due to his impairment, couldn't snap back the scathing reply that Quorra  _knew_  he had.

"No comment?" Clu jeered, "That's not like you, Anon, always the one who wouldn't shut up…now I can't get you to talk,"

Anon's Disk blazed in his hand.

"Still nothing?" Clu asked, pouting, "Such a waste…"

He brought his Disk closer to Quorra's neck…

The  _Regulator_  rocked violently as a Recognizer crashed. Quorra watched in growing terror as a blackened, sickly yellow hand gripped the flight deck…and watched as Abraxas hauled himself up.

"I wanted…death…" the Virus started and Quorra's eyes widened in shock as she realized it wasn't the Virus speaking…

But her father.

"And I was left with this," Jalen snarled, "My future, my family, was robbed of me…and now I will  ** _TAKE YOURS!"_**

"Father…" Quorra whispered so softly that Clu didn't hear her.

"He's got some rage in there, no?" Clu asked innocently.

And he pushed Quorra off the ledge, sending her screaming to the lower deck, where her head collided with the floor and darkness flooded her vision.

* * *

01000100 01111001 01101001 01101110 01100111 00100000 01010111 01101001 01110011 01101000

* * *

The Virus might have been in control most of the time…but when he saw Clu shove the ISO…

No…she had a name…

_Quorra! Oh dear Users, QUORRA!_

The Virus felt his old self struggling to freedom. What rage 'Jalen' felt was overpowering…And the ISO broke through.

"Quorra…" Jalen breathed, circuits flickering soft white as he started forwards.

The Monitor…Anon if he remembered right, stood in front of Quorra, growling darkly with his Disk out.

Anon wasn't going to let Jalen anywhere near his daughter.

The corrupted ISO looked around at the power cores…if he could get Anon to blow them up…and then  _he_  got the other one…

Clu would be crippled!

"THIS IS WHAT I CREATED YOU FOR, VIRUS! FRAGMENT THAT GLITCH ALREADY!" Clu shrieked.

"I'm not your puppet anymore!" Jalen snarled to himself.

Jalen limped towards a power core, howling in pain as Abraxas resurfaced, wrenching control with fiery talons.

The Virus stretched out his hand, drawing energy from the core only for it to blow up in his face. He snarled, watching as the Monitor retreated towards the ISO girl, holding position.

No matter…he'd just get the others…

One by one, no matter which one Abraxas went to, the young Monitor blew up each core.

The Virus gave a spitting hiss and stalked around the energy core towards Anon right as the young Monitor broke the last of the bindings keeping the cores from running. A wave of warm hued energy shot from the main core, throwing Abraxas back and derezzing the little underlings he had called up. No matter…they were expendable… _he_  had his prize now.

And Anon couldn't stop him from getting it!

He climbed up to the main power core and stepped inside.

"ABRAXAS  _NO!"_  Clu shrieked,  _"YOU'LL OVERLOAD THE DRIVE!"_

The coward ran as fast as his golden circuited legs could carry him. But the Virus didn't care…he had never  _had_  so much energy before…not since absorbing the code streams in Arjia…

Anon threw the Disk, and the Virus felt the keen white edge knifing through his midsection. And Jalen, not Abraxas, threw his head back and gave a scream of elation…

Right as his world shattered.

Brilliant white light exploded before him and he saw honey-colored eyes sparkling softly as a hand took his.

And for the first time in a long time…

Jalen smiled.

* * *

01000100 01111001 01101001 01101110 01100111 00100000 01010111 01101001 01110011 01101000

* * *

When Quorra awoke, she felt the rain pounding on her skin, heard the crackling of flames…she opened her eyes to see the flaming wreckage of the  _Regulator_  on the ground. But  _how_  did it happen?

She remembered Anon coming to rescue her, then the Virus coming aboard, the Clu throwing her to the lower level…then nothing.

"Ow, my  _head_ ," Quorra moaned as she sat up.

Where was Anon? Where was the Virus…Users glitch it, where was  _Clu_  so that she could give him a piece of her processor!?

She looked around the dreary Outland landscape, alone…wait, no. She spotted white circuits and she turned her gaze towards Anon.

"What are you…" she started…and then gasped in horror.

Anon's body was crushed underneath the fallen Recognizer, only his arms, head and neck stuck out. His light flickered feebly as Quorra came to his side.

"Anon…" she whispered.

The Flynn Monitor tilted his head towards her, acknowledging her presence with a nod as he scanned her for injury. She felt tears threatening to fall, knowing that even now his concern was for her far more than himself. She offered him a small, shaking smile as she reached out a hand to place on the side of his helmet. He'd given every measure of his self to protect the System… Protect her… And now he was fading.

Anon derezzed his helmet, revealing his now sad,  _old_ , sky-blue eyes and unruly blond hair, Kevin Flynn's face. Dull silver-white code bled from his lips and nose as he weakly reached towards Quorra. As he moved, she could see the ugly gash torn over his throat from where Clu slashed him, rendering him mute.

What hope did a system have when its heroes fell while tyrants ruled?

She leaned forward, resting her forehead on his, tears streaming down her cheeks and streaking across his face. She was weeping for the system, for everything they'd lost because of a single program, for her parents, for the Creator, for Tron, for Anon; for the knowledge that she was about to lose the last friend she had. He reached out with a shaking hand, brushing one tear away and looking at it before turning to give her a miniscule shake of his head.

And somehow she knew he was letting her know that it was alright; that he'd accepted the cost of this victory. She pulled away slightly and smiled in acknowledgement- the only thing she could give him.

"Thank you… I just….  _Thank you_."

Anon's circuits flickered, and his body tensed before relaxing once more. He reached out and Quorra watched as he took her hand in his, guiding it to his Disk. After a moment she figured out what he was asking for and removed the Disk from its dock, bringing it within comfortable reach of the weakened program. He reached out with his other hand and tapped a few commands before draining power supplies caused his arm to drop. She turned to look at him and he gave another slow nod before seizing up once more. This time the system corruption tore through him, causing fractures in his format to appear.

The daughter of Jalen and Radia gently held Anon's hand, making the Monitor's eyes flutter contentedly shut.

"Anon…stay with me," she begged, "I lost everyone else…I can't lose you too,"

Anon's blue gaze fluttered open again and he squeezed her hand, weakly trying to pull her closer to him. She could see the terror and pain in his eyes as tiny grid-like latticework etched up the side of his face.

Quorra leaned forwards and Anon took his other hand, putting it behind her head…

And pressed his bleeding lips to hers.

She felt wetness on her cheeks as a coughing rasp left Anon's broken vocalizer, and she realized that the fatally wounded Monitor was crying.

She pulled away, holding his hand with both of hers.

"I'm here," she told him, sniffing to keep her own tears from falling, "I won't leave you alone,"

Anon gave a shaky smile and caressed her cheek softly, his kind blue gaze beginning to glaze over.

He opened his mouth and tried to speak…but like before, all he could manage was a rasp. He settled for mouthing his last words.

_"Thank you,"_

His body seized and then released, the bright, mischievous gleam in his sky-blue eyes dimmed and dulled while his head relaxed and lolled to the side. Quorra squeezed his hand tightly as Anon's eyes seemed to stare past her, lifeless…

And his body flickered even more…finally glowing brilliant white before melting back into the Grid.

" _No_ …!" Quorra cried.

She sat for a few moments longer after he was gone, looking out at the vast nothingness that was the Outlands as she held his Disk…all that remained of the once noble warrior. After a second she activated it to see what Anon had intended. She gasped when she saw that he'd initiated an information transfer- one that would allow her to assimilate his basic combat and technical knowledge. In his last action, he'd done what he could to assure her future survival…

He'd given her  _everything_.

She interlocked the Disk with hers and activated it, watching as data streamed from one to the other.

Memories streamed through and Quorra saw Anon killing Abraxas, then picking her up and leaping…dear Users how in the Grid could he  _possibly_ jump that far?! She saw him latch onto a Recognizer, catching her as she fell past him. Then an explosion sent the Recognizer on an irregular pattern, watching as it crashed, throwing them both far ahead…

Watching as Anon looked up at the looming threat and threw her out of the way, sacrificing himself for her.

When it was done Anon's code went dark; the lifeless Disk of a fallen hero. With the transfer completed, she stood, and watched as her armor automatically modified itself to a more combat ready design; one that held the ghost of its predecessor, her blue circuits fading to more of a blued white. She stood, walking over to a rock at the edge of a hill and placed Anon's Disk reverently on a natural platform.

Then she started to walk farther towards the lights. She knew Tron City wasn't far…she'd find someone,  _anyone_  to help…

"I'll never forget you, Anon," she murmured as she walked.


	12. Escape and Reunion

Chapter 12

Escape and Reunion

The trek through the Outlands was long and hard, but she managed to sneak into Tron City. Quorra kept going through the myriad streets, searching for the one haven she knew she could call a home.

She turned the last corner…and then hid behind it again, peering out from the corner just to see a very angry looking Yori glaring at a smug Clu.

"They were my  _guests_!" Yori yelled, "How  _dare_  you drag them out and derezz them!"

"Yori," Clu told her, "They were dangerous miscreants that would have turned on you for the hospitality you showed,"

"If you  _ever_  do this again, Clu, I will  _derezz_  you with my  _bare_   _hands_ ," Yori snapped, "You  _can't_  do this! Flynn would never…"

"Flynn's dead," Clu reminded her, "And I know you're grieving…especially with the loss of Tron,"

The Simulations Program's circuits flickered dully as she bowed her head, jaw taut.

"But times are changing," Clu murmured, lifting Yori's head and caressing her cheek, "I need your help, Yori,"

Yori's circuits flared almost white in anger and she swung a fist at Clu, sending the Admin to the ground with a new discoloration overtop of Radia's handprint.

"I'll help you the day the Void freezes over," Yori hissed, "The last time I saw those colors, Clu, was when a System nearly shut down under the reign of a tyrant. I knew your predecessor, Clu. He would be ashamed to know how his name was carried now,"

Clu rubbed his chin, gold-tinted eyes glaring heatedly at Yori. He turned on his heel, motioning for his soldiers to leave.

As soon as the last red Program left, Yori turned towards her home, walking through the door and leaving it open.

Did she know Quorra was there?

The young ISO didn't know. But she saw an open door and she took the opportunity.

Quorra raced through the square and darted into the home, the door hissing shut behind her. She was them promptly crushed in an embrace, making a squeak of surprise leave the young ISO.

"You're alive," Yori breathed, relieved, "Clu said the ISOs were all dead. Radia…"

Quorra's eyes misted over in tears and Yori gave an understanding nod, pulling Quorra closer. The two stayed like that for a long time until Quorra looked up.

"He did it," she whispered.

"Did what?" Yori asked.

"Clu killed Tron,"

Yori's dark blue eyes filled with indescribable pain upon learning of the cause of death of her beloved.

"And…Anon?" Yori asked.

This time Quorra was the closest to tears.

"Dead too," she whispered, "He saved me…gave me a chance to live at the cost of his own life,"

"He loved you, Quorra," Yori said, brushing a tear away from Quorra's pale cheeks, "He wouldn't admit it, but he loved you very dearly,"

"I just wish he could have survived too," Quorra muttered.

Yori gave a sad smile and guided the young ISO to the couch, sitting her down.

"You wait here," she said with a soft firmness, "There's got to be  _some_  joy today, with all this death, there's life. You're proof of that…and so is this,"

She got up and walked to a panel hidden in the wall, pressing down in a certain spot and revealing a small alcove.

"You can come out now," she said to a shadowy form inside, "They're all gone…it's just me and Quorra,"

There was a faint shuffling sound and Quorra looked up, eyes wide as a tall, dark form tripped out of the hiding spot, the single stripe of white circuits on his jacket and the tiny lights in his shoes unmistakable.

"FLYNN!" Quorra cried, dashing forwards and nearly crushing the User in an embrace.

"Ow! Hi, it's good to see you too," Flynn gasped, "Quorra…I can't  _breathe_! Ow my rib!"

"Sorry," Quorra apologized, letting go and looking more closely at the User.

Flynn…to say that he was a mess was an understatement. The User was very badly banged up, a long, thin gash sliced across his cheek, still oozing the scarlet liquid that Users had as their lifesource. There was a very nasty bruise on his eye…possibly a fist…as well as what looked unnervingly like a handprint over his neck, like someone had attempted to strangle him. His jacket was tattered and torn, but the User had created a cloak to keep him warm in the cold Outland winds. His jeans had rips and tears, most of them had wounds that bled through the fabric and quietly dripped onto his shoes.

"What happened?" Quorra breathed, "Clu didn't do  _that_  much to you…"

"Your friend Gibson got me to Bostrum after Clu ambushed Tron and me," Flynn told her, "Bostrum was overrun by the virus and well…I got in a scuffle with some of Clu's goons,"

"Sit,  _both of you_ ," Yori ordered, "I'll be right back,"

The two refugees sat on the couch while Yori rushed out of the room towards the kitchen area, the Simulations Program came back into the room with medical supplies and two vials of energy.

"Drink," she urged, handing the two to her guests before yanking Flynn's Disk off his back, making the User yelp, and beginning to try her hand at healing him.

Flynn dug in his pocket and pulled out six tiny shards, all of them flickering faint white. He turned to Quorra.

"Anon gave me these," he stated, "Before he set out to find you…"

Quorra reached out to touch them…

"They're the shards from the Virus' Disk that Anon broke off," Flynn murmured softly.

Quorra jerked her hand back, staring at the shards with a mixture of revulsion and sorrow.

" _Why_  do you have them?" Yori demanded, fixing another strand of code and making Flynn yelp and twist to grab at his shoulder, "Hold  _still_  you big baby!  _Users_  you're worse than…than Tron…"

She shut her eyes before taking a deep breath and continuing her work. Flynn put a gentle hand on her knee.

"I…Yori, I want to say I'm sorry but I know that's not going to be enough," he told her, "Sorry won't bring him back, I just…I miss him too. He saved my  _life_  Yori…if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be sitting here,"

He clenched his fists, his nails biting into his palm.

"I'm so sorry…I should have turned around and  _nailed_  Clu…but I couldn't…I  _ran_  like a coward and  _now_  look at us all!" he put his head in his hands, "The ISOs: dead, all killed by Clu, Tron: dead because I was a coward, Anon…Anon's dead because I sent him on a suicide mission. 'Bring her to me in once piece',  _how_  could I have been so  _stupid_!"

"Wait… _you_  sent him after me?" Quorra breathed.

"He would have gone after you anyway," Flynn sighed, "I should have just let him go…or gone with him,"

"The ISOs weren't all killed by Clu, Flynn, remember?" Yori said gently, "Jalen…"

Flynn winced while Quorra closed her eyes. He turned towards her.

"Do you want to tell her or should I show her?" he asked.

"Show?" Quorra blinked.

"Watch," Flynn said, taking out the shards again and attaching them to his Disk.

The shards flared brightly before playing a staticky and garbled message.

_"Today I went deeper into the system than I've_ ever _gone before. Memory Siphons, Firewalls, Security programs on every tile of the Grid,"_  Jalen's voice rang out from the Disk,  _"And what is this, this…Regulator? Clu?_ Why _would he…"_

There was a pained cry and the sound of rock being crumbled away.

_"It's impolite to snoop,"_  came Clu's voice.

_"W-What's h-happening to m-m-m-my Disk?"_  Jalen stammered _, "It's…it's…"_

A pained cry came from the Disk.

_"Why?"_ Jalen breathed

_"I'm just helping you realize your true nature,"_ Clu said calmly, _"A_ disease _…it just needed a little…_ encouragement _to bring it out,"_

_"You sick twisted basta...AGH!"_ Jalen shrieked, _"What did you_ do _to me!?"_

Another shard flashed as that one died.

**_"The stage is set,"_**  came Abraxas' low rasp, bearing a ghost of Jalen's voice,  ** _"My creation: Achieved,"_**

_"Be careful in your match. The games are_ dangerous _,"_  Clu warned.

**_"A death…reported. Evolution will take up in turn. Their time is_ ** **over _! The Grid will know only pain! Spread. Infect. Destroy!"_**

There was silence for a moment…and then a voice rang out again.

_"Quorra…Radia…"_  came Jalen's tear-filled voice,  _"It's so cold…I'm sorry…"_

Yori sat there, completely stunned. Flynn, who had heard the recording from all six shards, was still very pale from hearing it. Quorra…

Both User and Basic looked at the young ISO, watching as she sat with her hands covering her eyes, sobbing as she heard the last remnants of her father's voice. Yori wrapped her arms around Quorra and the Child ISO buried her head in Yori's shoulder.

"I'm so sorry," Yori breathed…

But Quorra was asleep.

* * *

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* * *

When Quorra woke up, she saw Flynn and Yori rushing into the house, slamming the door shut.

"We need to get you  _out_ ," Yori panted.

"I agree," Flynn nodded, brushing his hood back and revealing his sweat slicked hair.

"What happened?" Quorra asked.

"Clu's new  _pet_ ," Flynn spat, "Since Anon killed Abraxas Clu needed a new way to hunt down Programs,"

"And now he knows you're here," Yori said, the gravity in her tone making Quorra's circuits turn cold, "I think it was a security Program…because it found us in that warehouse when we both thought we got away,"

"He  _tracked_  us," Flynn murmured, "But I don't recognize this Program…Clu must have really messed up his coding, I didn't even recognize the guy as my own Program,"

He gave a sigh, pinching his nose.

"But I have the strangest feeling I  _know_  this Program,"

"We can figure that out later, right now we need to get you out of the city," Yori said.

"And Quorra," Flynn said, "No doubt he'd gone back to Clu and told him about you helping me. He'll kill her if he finds her, Yori,"

Yori closed her eyes and looked up at Quorra.

"Is this what you want?" she asked.

"There's no place safe for me," Quorra told her, "I  _have_  to go…I don't have a choice. Clu will find me and kill me if I stay,"

Yori pulled the girl into an embrace.

"Tron and I never had the chance to have a child…a daughter…" Yori breathed, "But if we did…I know for sure she'd be like you. You're the little daughter I never had, Quorra. You know that Counterparts rarely outlive their derezzed partner. But, I will live for you Quorra…even though Tron is gone,"

"If we're going to go, we need to go now," Flynn told her, "While its still dark,"

"Good bye," Yori murmured, hugging Quorra one more time, "I'll visit when I can, I promise. Stay safe,"

"I will," Quorra promised as Flynn put a hand on her shoulder.

"Come with me Quorra," he said gently, "Let's get somewhere safe for the both of us,"

And they left, ghosting along the streets of Tron City so quietly that no one could have known they had left…

Little did they know…that one Program, other than Yori, saw them leave.

His scarlet circuits flickered a faint, wavering blue for just a split second before he turned his helmeted head back towards the fortress where Clu waited for him. His circuits surged scarlet again as the invasive code sank back down into the roiling, burning code that made up his lean frame.

He would let Flynn go…this time.

And Rinzler took his baton, rezzing the scarlet bike underneath him and raced back towards Clu.


	13. Jalen's Daughter and Flynn's Son

Chapter 13

Jalen's Daughter & Flynn's Son

After another day of hiding rebels from Clu…Yori was  _dead_  tired. The Simulations Program came into her home and shut the door, flipping on the light…just to see something dark in the corner of her eye.

Yori immediately whipped out her Disk and slashed, only to have her intruder yelp and duck, diving out of the way.

"Yori!" came a familiar voice.

The Simulation's Program gave a low growl as she put up her Disk.

" _Quorra_!" she sighed, "You  _know_  you're not supposed to be here!"

She put a hand to her temple, trying to ease the processor ache that had started up as well as her wildly pulsing circuits.

"I thought you were  _Rinzler_ ,"

"Rinzler's taller," Quorra deadpanned, the final remnants of her mask disappearing, "And he's got little lights on the  _side_  of his helmet, I've only got the one in the front and long ones on the sides and bottom…because of Anon's gift,"

She rubbed her arms gently, swallowing hard.

"Not to mention, his circuits are  _red_ ," she muttered, "Besides… _why_  would he come here?"

"It wouldn't be the first time," Yori deadpanned, "Clu sends him here every few cycles to keep me in line. Or so he says,"

"You think it's something different?" Quorra asked.

"I think he just wants to scare me or make me feel even worse than I do," Yori sighed.

"Why?" Quorra started, " _How_?"

"Other than that User-awful sound he makes?" Yori shuddered, "Quorra…his circuits…they're  _exactly_  like Tron's,"

She touched her chest.

"Right down to the 'T'," she whispered, her circuits flickering dimly as her outline seemed to pale.

"Yori…don't do it," Quorra ordered sternly, grabbing her almost aunt by the shoulders, "Aunt Yori…your  _promise_! I know it's been a thousand cycles but you  _promised_  you wouldn't fade on me!"

Yori's circuits brightened slightly and her outline cleared up as the Simulations Program gave a weak smile.

"I don't break my promises," she replied tiredly, "Quorra, I'm old…I  _never_  thought I'd say that but I am. Older than anyone on the Grid, not even the Programs on the Old Server are my age…I'm alone. Clu's been derezzing anyone who's had ties with me,"

"You need to move then," Quorra told her, "If Clu has been sending his little pet here…he could very easily kill you,"

"He already has," Yori growled, "He killed me the moment he killed Tron,"

* * *

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* * *

Quorra had only left because of Yori's urgings that Clu would find her here. Yori had also told her that she  _had_  pretty much moved out, and the next time Clu checked her home, Yori wouldn't be there. It eased the young ISO's mind…but the notion that Yori had 'died' when Clu killed Tron still made her shudder.

If that was what loving someone was like…she didn't like it.

Every time she got close to someone, she lost them.

The young ISO shook her head as she walked through the city, keeping her head down and her sleeve over her mark. It wasn't easy moving through the crowd…which was unusually thick this millicycle.

"Did you hear about the User?" one Program asked.

Quorra stopped, looking up. User?

"Yeah!" his companion nodded, her pale eyes wide, "I heard Rinzler nearly killed him but the Enforcer  _stopped_  right as he was getting ready to derezz him. The User put up a force-field and deflected the Disk!"

"No you're  _crazy_!" the other scoffed, shaking his head, "He  _obviously_  used some sort of User-voodoo on Rinzler. The Enforcer  _never_  lets his prey go…"

"Who is the User?" Quorra asked, unable to keep her curiosity at bay.

Both Basics looked at her as if she was nuts.

"They say it's Flynn himself," one of them replied.

"You're wrong then," a dark skinned Program stated, walking up.

"What makes you say that?" Quorra asked, looking at the tall, lean frame of the Program.

"Because I saw the match," he shrugged, "It's not  _Kevin_ Flynn…it's some User called  _Sam_  Flynn,"

"The Creator's  _son_?" the female Program asked, hushed, "Cutler, if you're right…"

"I'm right, Diana," the dark skinned Program insisted, "Normally am about these things. Like how the Users aren't as awful as Clu makes them out to be…and  _you_  of all Programs know that. After all… _you_  were the one who was saved by an ISO in the Games!"

Quorra froze, watching the female Basic carefully.

"I'm not going to forget that," Diana murmured, "If he hadn't thrown me out of the way…I wouldn't be standing here. I had a reason to fight in the ISO Wars, Cutler…I owe my life to Jalen, leader of the ISOs,"

Quorra moved away, breathing hard, her hand against the nearest building. She had met the Program who her father had saved…his last act before succumbing to the Virus inside him.

 _[Your father was a good Program]_  came the ping, making Quorra jump sky-high before whirling around to face the incredibly pale silver gaze of the female Basic  _[I'm sorry he had to die for me to live. You have his eyes…don't worry…I won't tell anyone else]_

 _[Thank you]_  Quorra pinged back  _[Maybe you can help me this time…Sam Flynn…where is he?]_

 _[Clu's putting him on the light-cycle grid…if you hurry you can save him]_  Diana replied  _[Good luck]_

Quorra nodded her thanks and sprinted off, activating her helmet.

* * *

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* * *

She had climbed up on a billboard, watching as Clu's throne ship landed and his little hench-Program…Jarvis if Quorra remembered right…walked out, followed by two guards and a baton bearer and…

Dear Users! They were right!

A young man in blindingly white circuits with Flynn's hair, eyes, and structure was being flanked by the guards…and he did  _not_  look happy.

"Greetings Programs!" Jarvis called, the crowd cheered, "Oh, what an occasion we have here before us…because your rumors are true! We do indeed have in our midst a User!"

The crowd booed as he pointed at the young, blinding white User.

"A  _User_ …" he repeated…as if afraid and unsure.

 _"You_ should _be,"_ Quorra thought bitterly, eyes flashing darkly behind the ebony mask.

"So, what to do? What does this  _User_  deserve?" Jarvis asked "...Might I suggest perhaps…the challenge of the Grid?"

The crowd cheered wildly and Quorra shifted uneasily. Lightcycle battle…that wasn't going to be easy. She  _had_  to get him out before Clu could kill him. If she could get Sam Flynn out…she might finally be able to see a true smile on Flynn's face. Even after all these cycles…

"And…who best to battle this  _singular_  opponent?" Jarvis continued, "Perhaps one who has some  _experience_  in these matters,"

Music started to play and stairs unfolded from the ship as Clu started to descend.

"Oh, yes, indeed, Programs," Jarvis shouted, "Your Liberator! Your Luminary! Your leader and maker!"

Clu strode towards the Son of Flynn.

"The one who vanquished the tyranny of the User those many cycles before!"

Clu leaned in to say something to the young User…making Sam Flynn bristle in anger.

 _"Clu!"_  Jarvis finished, making the whole stadium erupt into cheers.

 _"Time to go,"_  Quorra thought as she got up and leaped off the billboard, landing on the ground with cat-like grace.

She raced to the light-runner, the machine's circuits lighting silvery white with her touch.

"Let's go rescue a User," she said grimly and gunned the engine.

* * *

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* * *

Sam Flynn had just pulled out his Disk, preparing to fight Clu, when Quorra shot onto the scene, her lightribbon cutting Clu off and sending the corrupt Admin flying as his bike derezzed. She wrenched the steering wheel around and came to a stop between Clu and Sam Flynn.

**"Illegal combatant on the Grid."**

"Get in," she ordered, her voice distorted by the mask.

Sam Flynn looked at her, his sky-blue eyes that looked  _so_  much like Flynn's blinking in shock.

**"Illegal combatant on the Grid."**

"Get.  _In_!" Quorra repeated.

Thankfully, she didn't have to say it a third time.

Sam Flynn climbed into the light-runner and Quorra hit the gas, whirling the vehicle around and shooting towards the doors…

**"System Failure: Release Rinzler."**

A ribbon of orange light shot in front of the doors…

 _"Not going that way…"_  Quorra reasoned, jerking the vehicle around and racing towards the wall.

"Who are you?" Sam Flynn asked.

"Hang on," Quorra told him, jerking the wheel to the right and ramming into a Black Guard, forcing him to wreck and ultimately derezz.

She then reached for a switch and flipped it, releasing a few grenades from the back of the light-runner. She heard both go off and she turned back to see the damage…

Only to see Rinzler arching gracefully through the air, grabbing his second baton and breaking it, landing on another lightcycle.

 _"He's_ good.  _He must have been one of Tron's,"_  Quorra thought bitterly, reminded of how the old Monitor would always remind them to have two batons on their person at all times.

But now was not the time.

She flipped another switch, activating the two missiles on the side of the light-runner and fired at the wall of the stadium, making an escape route over the deep 'moat' around the arena.

"Pull up man! You can't make that!" Sam Flynn yelled as Quorra accelerated.

 _"Jump!"_  came Tron's ghost's voice once again,  _"Don't hesitate!"_

And Quorra ramped the side of the arena, switching the light-runner to its offroad form midair…and landing perfectly on the Outland floor.

"Made it," she said smugly, looking backwards to see Rinzler coming to a screeching halt, standing up and watching them go…absolutely  _radiating_  anger.

She derezzed her helmet and turned towards Sam Flynn.

"I'm Quorra," she introduced herself, sticking out her hand.

Sam Flynn stared at her and mechanically shook her hand…as if he didn't expect that a  _girl_  would pull such a stunt.

He looked back and then turned back to her.

"They're turning around," he told her.

"Not by choice," she shrugged, "Their vehicles aren't designed to go off-grid…they'll malfunction on this terrain,"

"What about us?" Sam Flynn asked.

Quorra gave a bark of laughter.

 _"Obviously_  not," she snorted.

"Where are you taking me?"

Quorra shot him a grin, he was more curious than her…she didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

"Patience, Sam Flynn," she told him, "All your questions will be answered soon,"

The two raced through the Outlands, the wind whipping around them. Sam Flynn looked up and immediately started yelling as they neared a tunnel in the cliffside…but he stopped as they shot through. Quorra laughed, she remembered doing much the same when Flynn took her through that same path many,  _many_  cycles before.

Quorra snuck a look at the young Flynn as he looked around at the Outlands. He looked  _so_  much like his father…but there was  _so_  much of Jordan in him as well. Oh Flynn was going to be so  _happy_!

They came to another cliffside and Quorra slowed down, letting the hidden door open quietly. Sam Flynn watched in amazement as they drove through the lighted interior and finally came to a stop. Quorra hopped out, motioning for the young User to follow. She guided him to the elevator and they both rose in silence to the apartment many levels above.

Quorra looked forwards, seeing the silver-haired, kneeling form of Flynn in his usual spot. It  _hurt_  to see him in such pain…hopefully this would ease it.

"Wait here," she whispered to Sam Flynn as she walked forwards.

"Quorra," Flynn murmured, sensing her approach, "I dreamed of Tron…first time in  _years_ ,"

The pain and sorrow in his voice made Quorra's own core want to shatter. The Last ISO knelt down next to her mentor.

"It's a sign," she told him gently.

"A  _sign_ , my dear apprentice, of a weary soul," Flynn said with a bitter laugh, "I'm afraid something's happened…"

"Something  _has_  happened," Quorra smiled, unable to keep her excitement down, "We have a guest,"

Another bitter laugh.

"There are no guests kiddo," Flynn sighed as Quorra stood.

She watched as Sam Flynn walked forwards, his footsteps alerting Flynn to his presence. The older User stood up, turning around slowly as the lights flickered on…

And both Flynns froze.

"…Sam?" Flynn breathed.

"Long time…" the boy replied, just as awestruck.

"You have no  _idea_ ," Flynn whispered.

The older User walked forwards, stopping within touching distance.

"You're…you're  _here_!" he croaked, and Quorra could hear the tears rasping in his throat as he embraced his son for the first time in many,  _many_  years, "You're here…"

"I'm here," Sam Flynn started, tears in his own voice as he embraced his father back.

Quorra gave a smile. She'd been denied reuniting with her own father…but she was glad that Sam Flynn got to reunite with him.

She'd done her job.


	14. Catching Up

Chapter 14

Catching Up

Flynn let go of his son and took in every inch of the once young boy.

"You're  _big_ ," he started, unable to believe his eyes.

"You're…" Sam Flynn broke off awkwardly.

"Old?" Flynn asked with a slight, wry grin.

Sam Flynn gave a helpless laugh.

"How did you get in?" Flynn murmured.

"Alan came over,"

"Bradley…" Flynn muttered with a touch of disbelief.

"He got your page," Sam continued, "I found your office…under the arcade,"

"Page…" Flynn frowned, "Oh…the page…of course."

Quorra came up, smiling and turned to Flynn.

"Clu had him on the lightcycle grid. I intervened," she beamed proudly.

"Oh," Flynn murmured before looking up at his son, "Dinner soon…we'll talk then,"

The older User turned around and walked towards the window, much to Quorra's confusion. The ISO turned to Flynn's son, who let out a shuddering sigh of relief.

"He never thought he'd see you again," she told him.

Sam gave a sad nod, "Yeah,"

He took a steadying breath and turned around, facing Flynn's old lightcycle. The boy looked intrigued and Quorra walked up to the bike.

"Vintage," she explained, "Flynn built it many cycles ago for the games. It doesn't get out as much as it used to but…it's still the fastest thing on the Grid. He even built a few for his elite security team…no one knows what happened to them,"

She gently touched Sam's arm and guided him over to the board game Flynn had called Go!

"Do you know it?" she asked, to which Sam nodded and Quorra crossed her arms, "His patience usually beats out my more… _aggressive_  strategy,"

Sam gave a laugh and Quorra looked up, icy eyes curious. She hadn't heard him laugh before. It was a nice laugh…but  _why_  was he laughing?

She didn't get the chance to ask as he walked over to the bookshelf and gently touched the spines.

"Flynn shared them with me," she explained, stroking the spines with reverence and familiarity, "I've read them all…"

"Oh, light reading," Sam deadpanned, "Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky, I-Ching,  _Journey Without Goal_ …must have a  _killer_  ending,"

Quorra ignored his jibe at the book and picked up her favorite, bringing it lovingly to her chest and hugging it before turning back to Sam.

"Flynn is teaching me about the art of the selfless, about…removing oneself from the equation," she shot a look to where she'd last seen Flynn and turned conspiratorially back to Sam, "But, between you and me…Jules Verne is my favorite,"

She held up her book and Sam gave a wicked grin and a soft laugh.

"Do you know Jules Verne?" she asked hopefully.

"Sure," Sam shrugged, turning around.

Really!? That was the best news she'd heard all cycle!

"What's he like?" Quorra asked, excitedly.

Sam just kind of froze. He turned back around, rubbing the back of his head…just like Flynn did when he was flustered…

Which made  _no_  sense to Quorra. If he knew Jules Verne then it would be a simple thing to describe what he was like!

"Quorra," came Flynn's voice, "Why don't you come help me with dinner, give Sam some time to take it all in, alright?"

Quorra gave a nod and then looked back at Sam.

They'd continue this conversation  _later_.

* * *

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* * *

"How in the world did you manage to get a  _pig_  in here," Sam asked incredulously as they sat down to dinner.

"It's just energy," Flynn shrugged, "It  _looks_  like a pig but it's really just the stuff in the glasses here. You see those apples over there?"

"Yeah?"

"First attempt at coding solid food," Flynn grinned, "the liquid stuff is fine…but every once and a while you begin to want something  _solid_ ,"

Quorra watched the whole exchange with a smile. She'd had conversations with Flynn like this before…but now it was something else, just seeing father and son react with one another warmed her core and made it ache at the same time.

She used to have conversations like that with her father too…

 _"Don't think about that,"_  she mentally berated herself,  _"He's derezzed and gone and you can't afford to break down in front of the Users. They'll start prying and then you'll_ really _have a system crash…"_

So she kept her silence until the two lapsed in with her. Quorra turned to Sam.

"How old are you now, Sam?" she asked.

"You should be twenty seven," Flynn answered.

"Yes, twenty seven," Sam nodded.

"Do you attend a college?" Quorra continued.

She was going to get to know Sam just as well as she knew Flynn…she was bound determined to.

Sam gave her a mildly surprised look, like he wasn't expecting her to know what college was. But he gave a slight smile.

"Caltech," he answered.

"Caltech…" Flynn smiled, "My alma mater,"

"Yeah," Sam replied, "'Til I dropped out,"

Quorra laughed, dropping out…that was funny! And then she saw Flynn and Sam both looking at her strangely. She stopped, cheeks flaring faint red as she stabbed her fork at the food and continued eating.

It wasn't funny…and now she'd made a fool of herself. She knew they didn't blame her, but still…she'd spent all these cycles with Flynn, learning about the User world…she should have  _known_.

At least, that's what was going through her mind.

"Work?" Flynn asked, "Job? Encom?"

Sam gave him a slightly smug look.

"Are you…"

"No," Sam shook his head but threw in a roguish smile, "I check in once a year,"

There was something behind that smile, Quorra didn't know what…but she could tell it was something reckless. Something that both Jalen and Anon would have approved of while Tron and Radia wouldn't have been amused.

"Wife? Girlfriend?" Flynn continued.

"Dog," Sam cut him off, "Marvin. A rescue,"

"Oh…" Flynn blinked, "Dogs are…dogs are cool…"

They broke off into awkward silence until Flynn decided to break it again.

"I'm sure you must have a few questions of your own, Sam," he muttered.

"Actually, just  _one_ ," Sam replied, looking pointedly at his father.

Flynn closed his eyes and nodded.

"Why I never came home," he concluded with a sigh, "Those nights when I went to the office, I'm sure you've figured it out by now I was coming here. Human form into digital space…heavy stuff,"

He took a drink and set the glass down again.

"But," he continued, "I also had you, I had Encom, I couldn't be in here all the time. I needed partners to help out,"

"Tron and Clu," Sam said.

"That's right," Flynn said with a sad smile, "Tron was created by Alan for the old system. I brought him here to protect this one. Clu was  _my_  creation, a Program designed to create a perfect world,"

He gave a soft laugh and shook his head.

"Ah, we were  _jamming_ , man," he sighed, "building utopia.  _Hours_  in here were just  _minutes_  back home. Just when I thought it couldn't get any more profound, something unexpected happened,"

"The Miracle,"

Flynn gave an incredulous laugh.

"The Miracle…you  _remember_!" he smiled, " _ISOs_. Isomorphic Algorithms. A  _whole_  new life form,"

"And you created them?" Sam asked.

Flynn gave a bark of laughter, shooting a look at Quorra, who shook her head in amusement.

"No.  _No_ ," he chuckled, "They  _manifested_ , like a flame. They really weren't  _from_  anywhere. The conditions were right and the came into being from the Sea. The  _Grid_  created them…not me. For centuries we've dreamed of gods, spirits, aliens…an intelligence beyond our own. I  _found_  them in here, like flowers in a wasteland. Profoundly naïve, unimaginably wise. They were  _spectacular_ ,"

He gave a sad smile.

"I took two of them in, basically adopted them and taught them about our world, Sam. An ISO man and an ISO woman. He called himself Jalen, she called herself Ophelia and then renamed herself later into Radia,"

Quorra bowed her head sadly, fighting back the tears that wanted to come so very badly. Flynn got up and walked to the fireplace, picking up two deactivated Bits as Sam and Quorra both followed him, Sam sitting in the chair and Quorra stretching out on the couch.

"Everything I'd hoped to find in the system: control, order, perfection… _none of it_  meant a thing. I've been living in a hall of mirrors…the ISOs  _shattered_  it. The possibilities of their root code, their digital DNA," he corrected, "Disease?  _History_! Science, Philosophy,  _every_  idea man has ever had up for grabs…The ISOS…they were going to be my gift to the world,"

"So what happened?" Sam asked.

Flynn closed his eyes, jaw clenched as he set the Bits back down on the fireplace and took off his Disk, activating what he had seen that horrible moment.

"Clu," Flynn growled, " _Clu_  happened,"

The hologram flickered to life, showing Flynn and Tron walking into a square, Clu coming up to them and calling out to Flynn, showing as Tron told Flynn to go and fought against Clu and his lackeys.

Quorra turned away, trying to  _not_  relieve that moment…but Tron's scream still echoed in her ears, even after all these cycles.

"Tron…he fought for me," Flynn murmured, replacing his Disk, "I never saw him again,"

"So why didn't  _you_  fight?" Sam asked.

"He did," Quorra said, remembering Anon under Flynn's orders coming to save her.

"Clu fed on my resistance," Flynn replied bitterly, "The more I fought, the more powerful he became. Every Program I sent at him never came back…all being turned into one of his minions. It was impressive, really,"

He shook his head and sighed.

"And my Miracle…" he whispered softly, "Clu saw the ISOs as an imperfection…so he  _destroyed_  them,"

Quorra shuddered, still hearing the screams and shrieks of her people as the  _Regulator_  blasted their cities to pieces, as Black Guards dragged them out of their dwellings and murdered them in the streets.

"The  _Purge_ ," she murmured.

"He killed them all?" Sam asked, incredulous.

"It was genocide," Flynn replied, not answering the question and making Quorra look at him.

Even from his own son…Flynn was protecting the last of his Miracle.

"I tried to get back," Flynn explained, "But I couldn't get back to the Portal. It uses massive power and can't stay open forever. And like a safe…it can only be opened from the outside. It  _closed_  on me, Sam… _that's_ why I never came home,"

Sam got up and walked to the window, looking at the star-like Portal.

"So the Portal…it activated when I came in. So it's open now," he stated.

"Not for long," Flynn told him, both he and Quorra getting up and walking to the window and onto the balcony, "Only one millicycle, about eight hours,"

"So we go  _now_ , go  _home_. We make a run for it! We get you  _outta_ here!"

"Stop, don't rush," Flynn said.

"What do you  _mean_  'don't rush'?" Sam demanded, "The Portal's gonna close!"

Flynn said nothing and Sam turned to Quorra.

"What?" he asked, "What is it?"

"The moment Flynn is on the Grid, Clu will stop at nothing to obtain his Disk," she answered, gesturing at her mentor and Sam's father.

"My Disk is  _everything_ , Sam," Flynn told him, "It's the master key, the golden ticket, the  _way out_. And not just for  _me_ ,"

"What do you mean?" Sam asked.

"Our worlds are more connected than anyone knows," Flynn replied, "Clu figures that if I can be in…"

"He can be out?" Sam guessed.

"With my Disk its possible," Flynn sighed.

"And then what?"

"Game over," Flynn deadpanned, "The guy doesn't dig imperfection…what's more imperfect than our world? I can't let that happen. I  _won't_ ,"

"So what do we do?" Sam asked, " _Nothing_?"

"It's amazing how productive doing nothing can be," Flynn argued, "Clu's  _planning_  something. We've known that for a while,"

 _"According to Yori,"_  Quorra thought, tracing the stones by the pool of water as Flynn explained everything,  _"Where would he be taking those Programs? Not the games…the Arena's not big enough,"_

She snapped out of her thinking when Flynn's voice was raised and he was basically shouting at Sam.

"With  _you_  he got more than he could ever dreamed!" Flynn snapped, "This is  _precisely_  what he wants! Us together, heading for the Portal! It's  _his_  game now! The only way to win is not to play!"

Sam replied something so soft that Quorra couldn't hear but Flynn did.

"But it  _is_  a way!" he corrected.

"We can go home," Sam said gently, coming to his father, "Don't you want that?"

Flynn turned his tired gaze to his son.

"Sometimes life has a way of moving you past things like wants and hopes,"

"That's great Dad," Sam growled, "You keep telling yourself that,"

Flynn kept silent and walked past Quorra into the house.

"Goodnight, Sam,"

* * *

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* * *

Quorra showed Sam to his room, but the younger User pulled her aside.

"How can he be so afraid of his own creation?" he asked, "I mean he  _built_  Clu, why doesn't he just  _end him_?"

"He could but it would require Re-Integration," Quorra murmured softly.

"Yeah, so?"

Quorra stared at him incredulously.

"Flynn would never survive the event," she hissed, "It would mean the end of them  _both_!"

"If he refuses to save himself then  _I_  will," Sam said firmly.

"How?" Quorra asked.

"I'm going to the Portal," Sam told her, "Clu wants  _Flynn's_  Disk not  _mine_. I'm gonna find Alan and we'll figure this thing out from the other side. This may be Clu's game here but in  _my_  world he's gone in one keystroke. But I can't do anything unless I get to the Portal. And my guts tell me that  _you_  don't want to be stuck in this place for eternity either,"

Quorra looked at Sam.

"I really think you should consider your father's wisdom," she stated, turning on her heel and walking to her room.

Once she got there, she looked at Sam through the window, watching as he sat down and put his head in his hands.

She closed her eyes and shook her head, immediately being taken back to a memory.

 _"I_ can't _hide anymore! Clu_ has _to be held_ accountable _! For Radia, for_ everyone _! Either help me or step aside!"_

She reopened her eyes and walked to the dresser, pulling out her beloved Jules Verne collection and flipping to her bookmark, a silver plate emblazoned with a sector symbol. She looked up at her reflection…seeing herself. Her father's eyes, her mother's facial structure, Anon's blue-tinged circuits.

All dead because of Clu.

She gripped the plate and walked out the door, striding to Sam's room quietly and opening the door, facing the User.

"There's someone I once knew," she told him, "A Program named Zuse who fought alongside the ISOs, they say he can get anyone…anywhere,"

"How do I find him?" Sam asked.

She handed him the plate.

"This is his sector. Make it there alive, and he'll find you,"

* * *

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* * *

Flynn woke up to screams. The older User went over to Quorra's room quickly and found the young ISO crying in her sleep.

"NO! Mother! Father! NO!" Quorra shrieked.

Flynn came closer to the girl's side and held her gently.

"It's ok, it's ok," he soothed as Quorra's screams abated, transforming into heart-wrenching sobs, "You're safe,"

"Gone, all gone…" Quorra sobbed, leaning into Flynn's shoulder, "I could have saved them…I could have…"

"You're alright," Flynn told her, stroking her hair gently, "It's just a bad dream, Quorra. They're gone yes, but you're still here. You're alive,"

He held her gently until she stopped crying.

"Better?" he asked.

"I would have thought they would have gone away by now," she muttered bitterly.

"You seen things even most Users don't," he told her, "I'd be surprised if you didn't have those nightmares,"

He looked up, seeing Sam's light on.

"I think you woke Sam up. I'll go check on him," Flynn told her, getting up and walking out.

Quorra sat on her bed, shaking as the remnants of her nightmare replayed and faded. Her mother being stabbed in the chest, her father's scream of pain as Anon's Disk knifed into his side…

Eventually, she stopped shaking and got up off the bed, walking out into the main room…just to see Flynn standing on the balcony, looking at the Portal.

"Quorra," he started, not looking at her, "Prepare the lightrunner, we're going down town,"

He turned to her, a smile on his face.

"Thank you for bringing my son to me,"

"Flynn, you don't need to go," she told him, "I've sent him to someone we can  _trust_!"

"Quorra, there is no choice," he said, "I won't lose him again.  _Chaos_ ,  _good news_ ,"

And he turned around, walking towards the elevator.

"You sent him to Zuse…didn't you?" he asked as he got into the lightrunner and she followed.

"Maybe," Quorra murmured, "Why? What's wrong?"

"I have a feeling that something isn't right,"

* * *

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* * *

He wasn't wrong. The trip to the Club wasn't that bad, nor was the elevator ride to it…it was when the doors opened that the trouble began. Four Black Guards versus one Sam Flynn.

"Stay here," Quorra ordered, leaping out into the fray, over Sam and unsheathing her blade at the same time.

Two Guards charged forwards but Quorra blocked them both with her Disk and her blade. She looked up to see Zuse's familiar form…right as his face twisted into a sneer and he gave a laugh. Quorra grit her teeth and whirled around, ducking underneath the Guards before engaging.

Her katana flickered out as she used her Disk as a shield, blocking a hit from one Guard before shoving off and standing protectively in front of Sam.

"I met your friend," Sam deadpanned, "he's  _fantastic_ ,"

Quorra rolled her eyes and danced away.

"Behold!" Zuse yelled, shining a spotlight on Sam, making the User shield his eyes for a second, "The son of our  _maker_!"

Quorra dodged a staff, ducking under the blow before rising up with a blow of her own, her Disk blade skating off the Guard's staff.

She followed the momentum and flipped backwards, landing on her feet and twitching her sword blade in challenge. Two of the Guards attacked her and Sam, sending them both circling around the floor as they blocked and struck, trying to keep from getting themselves killed. One of the Guards kicked her in the face, knocking the wind out of her before backhanding her and nearly sending her to the floor.

She felt her arm getting grabbed and just had time to look at the helmet of the Guard as the other sliced through her arm.

Pain arched through her system, so great and intense that she felt herself falling…

And it all went dark.


	15. Revelation

Chapter 15

Revelation

"Quorra, wake up!"

Quorra didn't want to open her eyes, she was in  _way_  too much pain.

"C'mon, Q,  _wake up_!"

A hand shook her and Quorra cracked open an eye, the blurry, overeager form of whoever it was shaking her came into view…and Quorra's eyes snapped open.

"A-Anon?!" Quorra breathed, looking at the blond Monitor in User garb of all things.

The Monitor grinned.

"C'mon, sleepy-head, time to get up,"

"You…you talk…" Quorra stammered, "The Coup…Flynn…Tron… _your voice…_ was it all a dream?"

Anon gave a bitter bark of laughter.

"Dream…hardly," Anon stated, tilting his head upwards and exposing the silvery-blue scar that marred his throat.

"Wait. If you're here…then I'm dead!" Quorra panicked, "Flynn's plan, your sacrifice… it was for nothing,"

"You're not dead," Anon deadpanned, crossing his arms, "Just crashed,"

"Crashed?" Quorra asked, "Wait…my arm…"

She looked at said appendage in slight panic, only to see it whole.

"You're welcome to stay while Flynn fixes your arm…or you can go back to sleep until he's done," Anon shrugged, "if you stay, you'll get to see two people pretty anxious to see you. Two ISO leaders I think?"

"Jalen and Radia?" Quorra breathed, "They're…"

"Here," Anon told her, "Jalen's back to being normal. Not all 'Run! I'm a Virus and I'm going to get you!'"

Quorra closed an eye, glaring at him.

"Too soon?" Anon asked.

"Yeah,"

"So…whaddya say?" Anon asked, "Stay here until you're fixed or sleep until then?"

"I'd…kinda like to see them," she admitted.

"And I'd be glad to take you," Anon grinned, offering his hand and helping Quorra up, "They're not too far off, just over that rise,"

* * *

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* * *

Radia watched as Jalen still refused to meet her gaze. Even after this long, her husband even flinched at her touch, too horrified at what he had done to his family to his System.

"Jalen," she started again, touching his shoulder, just to have him flinch away again, "Please, look at me,"

Jalen turned his head, his once tall, proud frame trembling and seemingly shrunk into himself. This wasn't completely her husband, this was a broken shadow of his formal self.

But did that mean she didn't love him?

No, never! She'd  _always_  love him…it was the matter of him listening to her and realizing that.

She walked around him and put her hands around his strong jawline, making him look at her.

"I've told you before and I'll tell you again," she said firmly, "It was  _not_  your fault! We didn't know that Clu was capable of that. You couldn't have known,"

The ice-blue eyes flickered once, sadly, a faint yellow tinge around his pupils came into existence, making Radia shudder internally. A part of Jalen remained in the Virus, enough to recognize her…and it seemed that a part of Abraxas would always remain in the great Architect.

Jalen removed his head from Radia's hands and went back to his silence, Radia refused to let him get away with it and grabbed him again, her honey-colored gaze absolutely fiery as she looked into the cool blue gaze of her husband.

"You  _will_  listen to me!" she ordered, "Jalen…"

Her gaze flicked past his shoulder…and she froze at what she saw.

Jalen mechanically turned around and froze, eyes wide and almost scared as he too saw who stood behind them.

"I'll leave you alone," Anon said, "I've got to meet up with Mom,"

Anon left, leaving the young Child ISO standing, staring at her parents.

"Mother…Father…" Quorra breathed.

"Quorra!" Radia whispered, opening her arms and letting Quorra run into them, enfolded in her mother's arms and crying.

Quorra looked up, her tear-filled eyes shining brightly as her mother smiled and kissed her forehead. The Child ISO looked towards her father, who had bowed his head and looked away. Quorra looked at her mother, almost asking permission, to which Radia nodded and let Quorra go.

The Child ISO walked carefully over to her father.

"Father?" she asked quietly, "Dad?"

Jalen's gaze remained firmly on his boots.

Quorra embraced him, shocking the older ISO as his hands shot out…and then he embraced her back.

"I'm sorry," Jalen whispered, "I'm so,  _so_  sorry, I didn't know, I just…"

Quorra buried her head into his shoulder like she used to when she was little.

"I forgive you," she told him, "We all do,"

She looked up and Jalen looked at her, his own blue gaze filled with tears.

"I'm just glad I get to see you and Mother one last time," she told him as Radia came close and kissed Jalen on the cheek.

"You are mine," she told him, "Now and always, I do not care what has happened,"

"Could you forgive him?" Jalen asked, "One who killed and destroyed for fun, one who harmed you?"

"It's not that simple," Radia admitted, making Jalen bow his head in understanding, "But,"

She tilted his head up.

"If you ask if I could still  _love_  him," she kissed him and released after a few moments, "The answer is yes. The answer is  _always_  yes,"

She put a hand on their daughter's shoulder.

"But, if Quorra can forgive you," she smiled, "So can I,"

Jalen gave a soft smile and pulled his wife and daughter into a warm embrace. His face relaxed into a contented smile.

"This is how it should have been," Jalen murmured to himself, "Me, my wife and my daughter,"

A soft cough interrupted them and all three ISOs looked up to see a blond woman standing there, smiling.

"Hello, Quorra," she started, "You probably don't remember me…we met when you were very young,"

"Jordan!" Quorra gasped, "You're the one Anon was talking about!"

Jordan gave a smile and nodded, "And I'm sorry to say, but you'll need to be heading back now,"

"He finished?" Quorra asked sadly, "But…"

She looked back at her parents, both of who gave gentle smiles.

"You can choose to stay or go," Jordan told her, "But, if you stay…my husband's dream, your parent's dream…it's all  _lost_. Clu has taken Kevin's Disk. I don't want to influence you one way or another…but they need you Quorra,"

Quorra bit her lip, looking at her parents.

"I'd like to stay," Quorra started, "But…giving up is something that our family doesn't do well. Send me back to Flynn and Sam,"

Jordan gave a smile and embraced Quorra.

"You know…I hope that you do get to see your sun," she told her, "nothing would make me or Kevin or Sam happier,"

"Good bye, Quorra," Radia smiled sadly.

"We  _will_  meet again," Jalen added, "I can feel it,"

And then everything went dark.

* * *

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* * *

Quorra shot up with a gasp, only for Sam to gently catch her.

"Hey, it's ok!" he told her, "We're safe now! We're heading east towards the Portal,"

"Clu has the Disk," Quorra stammered, her memory from her time in the other-place beginning to fade.

"Once I get out, I can shut him down," Sam reassured her.

She shook her head.

"I should have never sent you to Zuse, it was a mistake," she murmured.

"It's ok," Sam smiled, "I've made a few myself,"

He handed her a small bottle of energy and Quorra smiled.

"Where is he?" she asked.

Sam looked behind her, making Quorra twist around to see her mentor sitting on the Solar Sailer, eyes closed and listening.

"I think he's knocking on the sky…" Sam started.

"And listening to the sound," she finished, making him smile.

She tipped her head back, swallowing the contents of the vial and watching as her circuits surged from the energy pouring into her system.

"How did you find him?" Sam asked.

Quorra froze, trying to gauge his intentions…and then realized her sleeve had slipped. She clapped a hand to her arm and slid the sleeve up hurriedly.

"It's ok," he reassured her as she stood, "I know,"

Quorra sighed and shook her head, sitting down.

"It was during the Purge," she started, as Sam sat down beside her, "Clu was relentless, the Black Guards were murdering ISOs in the streets. Everyone I knew disappeared. Then they came for me. They were looking for me everywhere, the last in the ISO leadership role. I found my way to Tron City where a sympathetic Program hid me and Flynn in her home. She and Flynn were pursued by Clu's new bodyguard…you know him as Rinzler. They realized it wasn't safe here anymore and so she smuggled Flynn and me both out,"

"Then how did she find him?" Sam asked.

"She and Flynn were old friends. He came to her not long before I did," Quorra muttered, "I guess you could call me…a rescue,"

Sam gave a soft smile and turned towards the Portal, his blue eyes turned almost silver from its light.

"Heck of a view," he murmured.

"It used to let us know that Flynn was here," Quorra told him, "It became a symbol of something bigger, something better than this world. I've never been this close before. It's how I imagine a sunrise to be,"

"Trust me," Sam told her, "There is  _no_  comparison,"

"What's it like?" Quorra asked.

"The  _sun_?" Sam deadpanned, raising a brow and Quorra nodded.

He gave a sigh and looked at the Portal again, realizing she was deadly serious.

"I've  _never_  had to describe it before," he admitted, "Warm…Radiant…"

He looked at her and gave a gentle smile.

"Beautiful,"

Quorra gave a laugh and Sam grinned even brighter.

Suddenly, a low rumble filled the air and both Sam and Quorra turned to face the  _Recognizer_  flying through the air past them.

"Get below!" Flynn yelled, " _MOVE!_ "

Both User and ISO begged no question and did as they were told, sprinting down the steps two at a time.

"This isn't supposed to be here," Flynn murmured as they passed him.

"What happened?" Sam asked.

"A new course," Flynn growled.

Quorra peered into the cargo holds, her curiosity getting the better of her. The lights flickered on, revealing a bunch of shut down Programs and making Quorra gasp and jump back.

"What  _is_  this?" she demanded.

"Clu can't create Programs," Flynn explained, "He can only destroy or Repurpose them…"

"Repurpose them for  _what_?!" Quorra hissed as they moved off the Sailer.

They crouched down next to the stairs waiting for the chance to move and find a way out. Quorra closed her eyes listening…only to hear faint, padding footsteps coming towards them.

Her eyes snapped open and she peered over the railing, seeing who else but  _Rinzler_  stalking down the car where they had once stood.

She ducked back down, half a dozen scenarios rushing through her processor…and none of them ended up with all of them making it out alive.

Except…

She disconnected her Disk, holding it in her hands as she turned around and gave the precious item to her Diskless mentor.

"Good bye," she whispered mournfully as she rushed out of hiding, hearing them call her name but ignoring them.

Rinzler's helmet snapped up and the ebon glass turned towards her before the Enforcer dashed forwards, launching himself impossibly gracefully off the car and landing elegantly on a support before flipping off that, disconnecting his Disks and holding the burning circles apart. Quorra paid no attention to his silent warning to stop and her foot snapped out, kicking him in the helmet and snapping it to the side. Rinzler's circuits burned a furious scarlet as she kicked again. He caught her foot between his Disks and  _flipped_ her, sending her painfully to the ground.

Quorra gasped in pain and Rinzler kicked her once again…only to suddenly  _freeze_  and his helmet snapped towards Flynn and Sam's hiding place, his deadly growl becoming softer, almost a curious purr…

He shook his helmet, reconnecting his Disks and grabbing Quorra roughly by the arm, slipping her sleeve down and exposing the top of her mark. The Enforcer gave a low growl and gripped her arm tighter, forcing her to walk.

Quorra shot a quick look behind her, hoping and praying that Flynn and Sam would find a way out.

It was too late for her.

* * *

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* * *

But instead of derezzing her, Rinzler brought her straight to the monster that started all this tragedy.

Clu looked at Rinzler and Quorra right as Rinzler slid Quorra's sleeve down, exposing the glaring Arjian white ISO glyph on her arm.

"You are a very rare bird, aren't you now?" Clu hummed, pulling up her sleeve where Rinzler had pulled it down.

He began walking around Rinzler and Quorra both.

Rinzler's purr deepened slightly and Quorra kept her eyes forwards.

"Where's your Disk?" Clu asked and then continued after a slight pause, "Where is  _he_?"

Quorra kept her silence.

"It must have been so  _lonely_  out there," Clu murmured, "Tragic, to be the only one…"

Quorra's ice-blue eyes glared heatedly at him…and Clu smiled.

"I know you," he said, "Your eyes give you away. Very few Programs have  _that_  color eyes. Rare…but not as rare as another blue. Ice and Steel, the rarest of blues on the Grid. You're  _Abraxas'_  daughter,"

Quorra's eyes flared angrily.

"My father's name was  _Jalen_ ," she growled, "Abraxas was a  _perversion_  that  _you_  created,"

"Radia…" Clu murmured, touching his cheek lightly, "That's right…Radia was bonded to the Virus…"

Quorra shook angrily, but her voice kept the icy, frigid air that Jalen's got when he was upset.

"I've seen what Users are capable of, Clu," Quorra growled, shaking her head, "You don't belong with them,"

Clu gently brushed the side of her head with a hand. Quorra made to strike him but Rinzler's grip on her arm tightened.

"I have something  _very_  special in mind for you," Clu told her, gold-tinted eyes glinting.

Quorra jerked her head away from his hand, making his expression darken. The Admin turned to Rinzler.

"Take her upstairs, and  _find them_ ,"

The Enforcer's rumble darkened as he gave a quick, mechanical nod.

"You'll have to excuse me…you arrived right as I was preparing a  _toast_ ," Clu finished, looking at Quorra.

Rinzler's grip tightened as he led Quorra to the hallway. The ISO turned to Rinzler…she saw how shaky he had gotten when Clu spoke to her like that…like he found it wrong…

"You know," she started, "He's just going to get rid of you once you outlive your usefulness,"

Rinzler's purr escalated into a harsh growl, but he didn't do anything else.

"He'll just derezz you like he did all those others," Quorra continued, "How many 'seconds' were there before you?"

The growl turned into a snarl.

"You're…" she stopped as her scans turned up multiple broken pieces of code, "Corrupted,"

Rinzler froze, literally. She could see his body shuddering as multiple error signals (which  _had_  to have been there) popped up and sent pain through him.

He suddenly squeezed her arm harshly, making her gasp in pain as he dragged her towards the elevator shaft.

"What's wrong with you?" Quorra asked, generally curious…just like her father.

She ran another scan…no one has  _ever_  been this close to the fierce Enforcer…she might not know who he was…but she could see how old…

Her eyes widened as her scans turned up something  _very_  unusual.

"You're old," she whispered, "Older than the Grid you're…"

Her throat closed.

"You're not from here,"

The Enforcer shuddered in pain, she could have sworn she saw a spark of blue in his hellish red circuits. She knew only  _two_  Programs from the old server…because only  _two_  had ever been brought out.

One male, one female…and the Program before her was  _obviously_  male.

But it  _couldn't_  be him! She watched him die…just like Anon did! He wouldn't give in! He…

But she had to be  _sure_!

Quorra looked closer at the Enforcer's pitch-black armor, noting the positions of each dot and dash and circle of his circuits…her dread growing as she realized that they were almost identical to…

Her system nearly crashed as she saw the four tiny scarlet squares in the hollow of his throat. An emblem that only  _one_  had.

_…Steel blue eyes, gentle hands, a low laugh, red-brown hair that she liked to mess up whenever he put her on his shoulders…_

Rectify, Repurpose…

 _Rinzler_.

Or rather…

 _Tron_.

"No…" Quorra whispered, tears streaming, "No! Clu…Clu  _did_  this to you…"

Rinzler's purr hitched for a second…like he was curious…but it came back with roaring force.

"Please listen to me," Quorra begged, latching onto the grooves in his armor, stunning him for a few brief moments, "This isn't what you were Programmed for,"

Rinzler grabbed her hands, prying them off his chest before marching her towards the elevator.

"Everything he told you was a  _lie_!" Quorra cried, "I know who you are, I promise you! Clu  _lied_. He didn't make you, not even Flynn made you!"

Rinzler ignored her.

"RADIA! JALEN! REEVE! RAM! HAYDEN! NIKE! YORI!" Quorra shrieked, "ALAN-ONE!"

Rinzler froze like he had hit a brick wall, circuits dimly flashing, a flicker of blue raced through the scarlet.

"Alan-One," Quorra repeated, "Your  _User_!"

Rinzler gave a strangled moan and held his head with a hand, circuits flickering…

And then they flared bright blue-white.

The Enforcer's helmeted gaze turned towards Quorra.

"Q-Quor-r-ra," came the deep, broken, rasp.

Tron. It  _was_ him. Rinzler…was  _Tron_.

Quorra's eyes lit up as she took Tron's hand…

Right as his circuits washed with scarlet and he wrenched Quorra into hold that she couldn't escape from, his low snarl rumbling darkly into her ear. His Disks flickered out and pressed against the small of her back…giving her a clear warning.

If she said another word…

He would derezz her.

For once in her runtime…she was glad Clu had Rinzler's helmet on permanently…

She couldn't bear the thought of seeing her mentor's face as his Disks cut through her.


	16. Nox Aurumque

Chapter 17

Nox Aurumque

Her thoughts swirled through her mind like the Sea that churned and wailed beneath her. She shuddered to think of the cold, viral water that at one point birthed her parents and many of her people. But, her thoughts were turned from that by the strong grip Tron, no, Rinzler, had on her arm.

If there was anything that hurt her more…it was  _that_.

Her friend, mentor…her, for lack of a better term,  _uncle_ …was now one of the enemy. The Program who she would spend  _millicycles_  listening to as he recounted stories from the old server, made her believe in a system where the sky was alight with myriad colors, where the Disks were solid round pieces of white glass and only warriors had them, where there had been a Master Control and a giant undead Elite and were the weather was the same all the time.

It  _hurt_  to see him like this.

Yori had been more right about Rinzler than she knew…what would the Simulations' Program have thought when she saw who he really was?

Quorra didn't want to think about it…Yori would probably not survive that knowledge.

A high-pitched beeping sound screeched through the still air and Rinzler's helmet snapped up, his low growl thrumming into something darker and more feral.

**"Master Key: Disengaged."**

Master Key? Wait…Flynn's Disk! But…why did they go and get it when they could have ran?

Once again, she was knocked out of her thoughts by Rinzler's abnormally strong grip on her arm. The lift came to a stop and the doors slid open, revealing a brightly shining white figure before them.

"Sam…" Quorra breathed.

She felt Rinzler's hands loosen as the Enforcer's growl transformed into a deep, angry snarl. He was going to kill Sam!

"GO!" Quorra screeched, right as Rinzler shoved her to the ground and pulled out his Disks, splitting them and settling into a terrifyingly familiar stance that did  _not_  belong to him.

The Disk Sam held in his hand ignited and he charged forwards, hurling said weapon with deadly accuracy as an angry roar ripped from him.

Rinzler leaped upwards, twisting and turning over the Disk before landing elegantly in a three point landing and looking up at Sam…

Right as Sam's own Disk reached him. Faster than Quorra could see, Rinzler's Disks' shot up, blocking Sam's. Quorra arched her back, her feet coming up and she felt herself push upwards, landing on her feet as Rinzler reeled from Sam's strike. Quorra turned around, slamming her foot right into Rinzler's scarlet 'T', knocking him backwards and sending him over the edge of the lift, tumbling to his demise below.

 _"I'm sorry,"_  she thought…but deep down, she knew that Tron, wherever he was in that mass of corrupted code, was thanking her for ending it.

Sam came up, catching the second Disk as he replaced his own on his back, and cut through her handcuffs.

"What are you  _doing_  here?" Quorra sputtered as he took her hand.

"We got to get to the flight deck," he told her.

She grabbed his arm, eyes wild.

" _Clu_  will be here any minute!" she protested, "We'll never make it!"

Sam shot her a roguish grin, something eerily similar to a smile that Flynn or Anon would have given.

"C'mon," he grinned, tilting his head towards the window as he dragged her behind him, grabbing a chute and strapping it onto his back.

"Do you even  _know_  how that works?" she asked as Sam grabbed her around the waist and started towards the window, building up speed.

"Nope, but it shouldn't be too hard!" Sam laughed as he threw himself and Quorra out the window, activating the wings of the chute about half-way down the control tower.

* * *

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* * *

They tumbled to a stop right in front of Flynn, who was waiting for them both next to a jet.

"Hurry!" he yelled as Sam and Quorra got their bearings.

"Made it," Sam teased, grabbing her hand and hauling her up and helping her to the jet, "I call pilot,"

"No way," Quorra growled, giving him a light shove, "I've flown before, you haven't,"

"How would you know?" Sam asked.

"Intuition," Quorra muttered as she sat down and the controls rested in her waiting palms.

Sam rolled his eyes before leaning forwards and giving his father the Disk back.

"Try and hold onto this," Sam teased as Flynn grinned and clapped a hand on Sam's wrist gratefully, "You're gonna need it,"

Quorra smiled before starting up the jet, eyes flicking over the controls and performing a routine systems check. This was complex… _way_  more complex than the jet Tron, her father, and Anon had trained her with.

"You've got this Quorra," Flynn reassured her, "It's  _all_  in the wrist,"

She nodded and the jet gently rose upwards, the scarlet circuits flickering and dying only to snap back on a pale silvery-white from the two Users' light.

Quorra eased the jet out into the hanger and as soon as the wings settled into a standard flying shape, she gunned the engine, shooting out away from the ship and into the gloom.

"Head towards the light Quorra," Flynn told her before turning back to Sam, "Where'd you learn that move back there?"

"Encom tower," Sam smirked, "Couple nights ago,"

Flynn gave a mischievous laugh as the same thought crossed Quorra's mind. Sam was just as big a prankster as his father…and his digital brother Anon.

"Encom  _tower_ ," Flynn chuckled, shaking his head.

A flicker of yellow, red, and orange caught Quorra's eye. She turned around and her core froze.

"Light jets," she whispered before turning towards Flynn, "Here they come,"

Flynn frowned as he turned around to see.

"Six jets…looks like Clu, four guards and…Rinzler," he murmured.

"I thought you kicked him off the balcony?" Sam started, looking at Quorra.

 _"Tron took a Disk to the chest…he doesn't die so easily,"_ Quorra thought bitterly,  _"Why would Rinzler?"_

"Sam take the turret," Flynn ordered.

"Huh?" Sam asked as his seat slid backwards and turned around, the back of their jet opening and revealing two anti-aircraft artillery guns mounted to the side of the three-man jet, "Oh man I'm all  _over_  this!"

Quorra heard him start shooting, whooping in excitement. She turned towards Flynn and he nodded, the both of them flipping the switch for the light-walls. Twin beams of silver-white light poured from the tail-section as Quorra urged the jet into a roll.

There was an explosion and she heard Sam yell in triumph.

"YEAH!" he whooped, "One down five to go!"

Quorra looked back to the front just to see Clu and Rinzler crossing their walls in front of her. She put her hand on the trigger and fired in a continuous stream at the walls. Flynn tensed, leaning back in his seat right as Quorra weakened the wall enough to break through without causing any damage.

"Nice!" he applauded, earning a shy smile from the Child-ISO.

"We gotta split 'em up!" came Sam's shout from the back.

Quorra nodded and flew through a small gap in the middle of two spires, forcing one of the three jets on their tail to peel off. She gave a grim smile as she forced the jet into a roll, crossing the twin walls from their jet and slicing off the wings of the enemy jet.

Orange voxels clicked against the cockpit of the jet and Quorra shuddered lightly, bitterly reminded of hearing the sound of voxels on glass as her people were murdered in the streets. She felt Flynn's hand on her shoulder and she shook the memory off, diving towards the surface of the Sea, hearing it's sad, keening wails.

"Easy, Quorra," Flynn told her as the ISO stared at the black waters, thinking of the possible lives that were snuffed out by Clu's virus.

"I'm fine," she told him, renewing her grip on the controls, right as Sam gave a loud laugh.

"Have a nice  _swim_!" he yelled as a jet crashed into the waters.

Flynn gave a low laugh as Quorra pulled up away from the water and soared gratefully back into the sky. Sam continued to shoot, but it was obvious that he wasn't having much luck.

"We've got to get behind 'im!" Sam yelled up.

"Behind him?" Quorra grinned mischievously.

"You're smiling," Flynn deadpanned, "Quorra, I don't like it when you smile like that…it normally means something dangerous…that's  _Anon's_  grin…"

Quorra gave a whoop of excitement as she forced the jet to go  _straight up_.

Flynn gripped the armrests of the seat so hard that his knuckles turned white.

"I don't think this is a good idea!" he groaned, closing his eyes.

"You're probably right," Quorra shrugged, not caring as they went higher and higher still.

"He's  _gaining_  on us!" Sam screeched, firing as fast as he could…

Right as the smaller, enemy's jet stalled, falling silently back towards the Sea as it's lightwall lit back up. Quorra felt their own jet shudder as the engine sputtered and whined and ultimately quit.

 _"Here we go,"_  she thought as the jet began it's free fall.

Sam gave a wild laugh as they fell tail first, only righting as their light wall came back online. Quorra gunned the engine, speeding up and gaining ground on the rogue jet. Her eyes narrowed and locked on 'target' and she began to open fire, her shots skipping along the jet's wings and through the Black Guard's head.

"Yes!" Flynn beamed, clapping her on the shoulder.

"I had a great teacher," she told him, "Still is,"

Flynn shot her a saddened look.

"You know,"

She nodded.

"He was my teacher," she stated, "I'd know him anywhere…even if he wears the wrong colors,"

Suddenly more shots were fired, Sam yelped, ducking his head as a few nearly decapitated him and Quorra looked up right as one grazed the glass mere inches from Flynn's own head.

"It's him," she breathed.

"Only he could shoot that accurate," Flynn deadpanned, "He wasn't aiming to  _hit_. He's  _toying_  with us,"

"It's jammed!" Sam yelled, frantically trying to shoot the turret guns but failing.

"He  _knows_ ," Quorra breathed, looking around, trying to find him, "He knows that can't shoot him from behind…"

A blaze of scarlet entered her vision and Quorra froze, looking up right into the pitch-black, glassy helmet of Rinzler as he arched over them.

"Tron…" Flynn murmured sadly, "What have you  _become_?"

For a few moments, Rinzler stared straight at him, Quorra could hear his deadly purr…but it paused for a split-second…as if it wasn't Rinzler listening, but  _Tron_  himself. Whatever it was, it seemed to have been forced away as Rinzler shot back into position, setting the three-man jet in his sights.

"Oh  _come on_!" Sam begged as he tried once more to shoot.

Quorra snuck a look back behind her, just to see Rinzler shake his head.

"Flynn?" she asked, looking at her mentor.

"I don't know…" he murmured, blinking as Clu banked and settled right behind Rinzler.

"Rinzler! Take the shot!" he shouted, loud enough for all of them to hear, "Finish the game!"

Suddenly, Rinzler pulled up, arching up and away, soaring into the sky…right as Clu began to fire.

" _ROLL!"_  Sam shrieked.

Quorra wrenched the jet into a spiral, spinning so much that she had a hard time telling what was up and what was down…and then it got worse. One of Clu's shots hit one of the engines, bluish-black smoke poured from the destroyed instrument and Quorra' core sank…

It was over.

She looked at Flynn, fear clear in her expression…and then that's when she heard it.

"I…FIGHT…FOR THE USERS!"

She heard Clu's scream of denial…right as Rinzler's jet rammed into his own.

There was a great explosion and Quorra's core soared at the notion that they were safe, that Clu was  _gone_!

"It's over!" Sam called back, and Quorra gave a cry of relief before looking at Flynn.

"Did you hear it?" she asked.

"That wasn't Rinzler," Flynn said with a sad smile looking out over the sea and seeing two figures dwindling rapidly, "Quorra…I need you to do something for me,"

* * *

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* * *

Quorra managed to get the jet down safely, if not roughly, onto the Portal's platform. The glass dome over the cockpit slid back, letting the two Users and the ISO clamber out and start making their way to the Portal's beam. Quorra looked in awe at the grand sweeping arches and a bitter ache rose in her chest.

Her farther had helped build this platform. Before Jalen and Jordan had teamed up and worked on building this structure, the Portal was just a white beam on a barren rock. But having the two Architects come together and create…it was nothing short of beautiful.

Quorra shuddered as an unfamiliar memory flashed through her vision, a dark grey stone that bore lettering on it, a young boy in her arms asking her when they were going to go home…

It wasn't hers, and Flynn warned her that  _that_  might happen. The unfamiliar weight of Flynn's Disk upon her back wasn't uncomfortable, just surprising was all. She shook it off, following Flynn and Sam up the stairs…

Just to see Clu waiting for them, not even dripping wet from the fall.

But if  _he_  was here…what happened to Tron!?

"This is mine," Flynn told them both, holding Sam back as the boy tensed.

The older User walked towards Clu and Quorra moved closer to Sam.

"I had a feeling you'd be here!" Flynn called out over the roar of the Portal.

Clu gave a scathing laugh.

"The cycles haven't been  _kind_  have they?" he sneered.

"Aw, you don't look so bad!" Flynn said, trying to diffuse the tension…which wasn't working.

Clu's face darkened.

"I did  _everything_!  _EVERYTHING YOU EVER ASKED!"_  he yelled.

"I know you did,"

"I executed the  _plan_!"

"As you saw it," Flynn told him, getting closer to the dictator.

"You…you  _promised_  that we would change the world  _together_!" Clu continued, face sad and strangely pleading, "You…you  _broke_ your  _promise_!"

"I know," Flynn placated, "I understand that now,"

"I took this system to its  _maximum_  potential," Clu added, "I created the  _perfect_  system!"

"By nearly making it crash," Quorra muttered, "By murdering millions,"

"The thing about perfection is that its unknowable," Flynn told him gently, "It's  _impossible_  but it's also  _right in front of us_  the whole time! You wouldn't know that because  _I_  didn't when I created you!"

He held out his hands.

"I'm sorry, Clu," he told him, "I'm  _sorry_ ,"

Clu looked at him for a moment…and then his gold-tinted eyes flicked towards Sam and Quorra, who had also wandered closer. The dictator's face hardened and he kicked Flynn down to the floor. Sam yelled and charged forwards, circuits so blindingly white that it hurt to look at him. He rammed his fist into Clu's face a few times before driving his shoulder into Clu's midsection and driving him back a few feet.

Clu grabbed the young User and  _flipped_ him over his shoulder, throwing Sam a great distance, almost into the Portal's beam itself.

While Sam vented on Clu, Quorra raced to Flynn's side. He grabbed her wrist and squeezed it gently.

" _Go_ ," he told her.

She gave a tearful nod and stood, taking a grappling baton and firing it into the walkway, leaping out over the yawning abyss below and feeling the cord snap tight, swinging her under the walkway and back up on top of it, where she landed in front of a winded Sam and an enraged Clu who was stalking closer to Sam, Disk out and blazing angrily.

She calmly stood upright, taking her katana and activating the blade, its white beam almost molten as it slid out.

 _"You want him…you'll have to get through me,"_  Quorra thought, challenging Clu as she brought the katana into ready position.

"CLU!" Flynn yelled, making Clu's head snap towards him, "Remember what you came for!"

Clu shot a dark glare back at Quorra before redocking his Disk and stalking back to Flynn. Quorra put up her blade and helped Sam to his feet.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"'m fine," Sam slurred, shaking his head, "He's a lot stronger than he looks,"

"Don't remind me," she murmured as the platform started to retract, forcing them to the Portal, "C'mon,"

She herded him towards the beam right as Clu kicked Flynn in the face.

"DAD!" Sam yelled, starting forwards but Quorra held him back.

"It's too far," she told him as they kept backing up.

She saw Clu activate  _her_  Disk and stare at her…at the Disk on her back.

"Why is he…?" Sam started, but he cut off as Clu threw the Disk down and started running at them.

"GO!" Flynn roared as Clu took a flying leap, trying to catch the edge of the walkway.

"Dad!" Sam called as he and Quorra both stepped into the beam.

"Sam!" Flynn yelled back, "It's time!"

"No!"

"Sam," Quorra told him gently, "It's what he  _wants_ ,"

"I'm not leaving you!" Sam protested, ignoring Quorra.

"Take her!" Flynn ordered.

Quorra took off Flynn's Disk, handing it to Sam reverently. The boy took the Disk and Quorra watched as it lit up brilliant white under his touch.

"YES!" Flynn nodded as Sam closed his eyes, a tear streaking down his face…and he held the Disk up, letting it slip through his fingers and rise up into the beam.

The Portal surged brilliant white and Quorra felt tiny pinpricks up and down her body, the Portal was scanning her, taking her up  _with_  Sam! She was going!

A flash of gold appeared in front of them and Quorra's eyes widened as Clu's grim, determined face darkened with rage. The dictator ran towards them and Quorra grabbed Sam's armor, fear flashing through her. The murderer killed her mother, her father, her people…what would stop him from killing her? She saw Flynn kneel down suddenly, a pulse of silver-white light blasting away from him.

A choked cry escaped her lips as golden voxels started to splinter away from Clu.

"What's he doing!?" Sam demanded, looking worriedly at his father as silver-white data particles started splintering off of him and Quorra both, being taken up through the Portal.

Quorra looked up at him and started sobbing. Sam immediately understood and he gave a scream of frustration…

Right as a blinding light seared Quorra's eyes.

And there was silence.


	17. Lux Aurumque

Chapter 17

Lux Aurumque

Quorra was sure she was dead.

Flynn had reintegrated with Clu, causing a massive explosion that wiped out anything digital within that radius…so she  _should_  have been dead.

But when she opened her eyes, it wasn't the bright place with the odd little things fluttering around in the air that greeted her…

It was the dim, dusty brick of some building…and the core-wrenching sobs of someone near her.

She rolled off her back, groaning as she saw Sam kneeling on the ground in the  _oddest_  clothes.

"Sam?" she croaked, her voice cracking and fluttering in her throat as something fluttered, forming the sound.

Sam's head snapped up and he looked at her incredulously. The whites of his eyes were red…she'd seen Flynn's do that after a particularly bad night of memories.

Sam had been crying.

But he came over to her, a smile gracing his tear-stained face as he helped her sit up.

"You're here!" he whispered, holding her arms gently, "I didn't think that it would bring  _you_  here…just transfer you into some file or something…"

"You don't want me here?" Quorra asked, a little hurt, "And where  _is_  here?"

"No! I want you here!" Sam stuttered holding her close, "I'm  _glad_ you're here,"

"Where  _is_  here?" Quorra repeated.

Sam pulled away and gave a smile as he helped her to her feet.

"Welcome to the User world, Quorra," he told her.

Quorra's already wide icy eyes went wider in amazement. She was  _actually here_! Oh if her mother could see her now! Radia would have  _loved_  this!

She looked around the room, smiling softly as she took in her surroundings.

"I thought it would be bigger," she admitted.

Sam gave a laugh.

"Quorra," he smiled, "We're in a building, there's more to my world than just this room. C'mon,"

He gently took her hand and led her up some stairs into a large,  _loud_  room filled with music that Quorra had never even  _dreamed_  of and multiple beeping and whirring sounds. She took it all in, wide eyed before freezing as she saw where they had just come from…or rather the lights above it.

_TRON_

"I'll explain later," Sam promised, "Wait here for a second,"

He went up another flight of stairs into an office, opened the blinds and waved down at her. She waved back as he picked some oddly shaped object up waiting a few moments before setting it down and racing back down the stairs.

Sam took her hand and led her outside. Quorra's eyes widened as her hands shot to her mouth. She saw the area…but not as it really appeared. She saw it decked in black, blue and silver, hundreds of her people standing, waiting…a System Admin in silver-white, Monitor in white and another in cobalt blue while a scarred Security Program stood off to the side.

"Quorra?" Sam asked, putting a hand on her shoulder as she jumped, "Hey, it's ok…this is familiar to you, right?"

"Your father always came here," she murmured, "It was also where he was betrayed,"

 _"FLYNN!_ GO _!"_

She looked at Sam, tears streaming as she relived the moment where Flynn had fled, Anon lost his voice, and where Tron had fell.

"I  _saw it happen_!" she breathed.

Sam enfolded her in his embrace, holding her close and shielding her from the cold night wind.

"It's ok," he murmured, "It's ok…nothing's going to hurt you. Not anymore,"

He pulled away and took off his jacket, putting it around her slim frame.

"You're cold," he said, "Al's gonna be here any minute now, I've got something I've got to do before we leave. You stay here and I'll be right inside. Yell if you need me, ok?"

"Ok," she whispered.

Sam gave her a gentle smile before walking back into the arcade.

Not long after he had gone in, a car pulled up, Quorra hid in the shadow of the building…but her worry turned to shock as she saw the driver as he got out.

True, the silvery hair and the lines in his face told her otherwise…but those eyes and the way he carried himself were unmistakable.

"Tron?" she whispered as the man disappeared into the arcade.

Quorra crept quietly to the door right as she heard Sam speak.

"Al?"

" _You_  paged me?"

Quorra's newly found heart nearly stopped as she heard the voice of her long lost friend and mentor.

"Yeah," came Sam's voice, "I need you at Encom at 8am,"

"…What about the board?"

Quorra gave a sad smile…that sounded like Tron's voice whenever he was told he'd have to deal with Clu for extended amounts of time… _completely_  unamused.

"You're Chairman now," Sam told him, "I'm taking the company back Alan,"

Alan…as in…Alan-One? Tron's  _User_?

Oh… _now_  it made sense. No  _wonder_  she thought this person was Tron. He was his  _User_!

"Oh, and…you were right," Sam said.

"About what?" came Alan-One's voice.

"About everything,"

Quorra made her way back to Sam's user-lightcycle and waited beside it right as he stepped out and looked at the dimly flickering sign above him.

"What's next, Sam?" she asked.

Sam turned towards her, walking up to her until he was close enough to touch.

"I guess we're supposed to change the world," he smiled, "C'mon, I wanna show you something,"

He got on the bike and patted the seat behind him, telling her to get on. She settled down behind him, her arms automatically wrapping around his waist as he started the engine and drove down the road.

Quorra looked, wide-eyed, at her surroundings…noticing that it was starting to get brighter in the east.

"Sam, what's going on?" she asked.

"You'll see," he told her, smiling mysteriously.

The sky continued to brighten…until a warm, radiant and  _beautiful_  light filtered through the clouds. Quorra's eyes widened as they drove over a bridge and the sun placed its warm, golden touch onto her back.

Quorra smiled contentedly and rested her head against Sam's back.

She'd finally gotten to see her sun.

* * *

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* * *

Months passed and Quorra learned more and more about the User world even quicker than Sam could anticipate. Much to his surprise and, at times, his discomfort.

The concept of clothes  _really_  made him turn red…especially when he figured out that the only way to get her out of her Grid-armor was to cut her out of it…and then to get her new clothes on top of that…

But, they'd done just fine after the first few awkward days.

The world was full of joy and sadness and Quorra found out first hand many of those things. The worst was probably discovering that her favorite author had been dead for about 100 years. The best was when Sam took her to a place called a 'library' and showed her all the books written by him…then there was the issue of giving those books  _back_.

That's when Sam took her to what was called a 'book-store' and bought her a  _seven book volume_  that she could have for her very own! And she didn't have to give it back!

Now, as she sat in her favorite chair, reading her book, she saw Sam pacing around the room.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"I've just got this feeling," Sam admitted, running his hand through his hair, "Remember when Rinzler crashed into Clu and fell to the Sea? Only for Clu to come after us?"

"How could I forget," Quorra growled.

"What if…what if he…and the other Programs on the Grid…are alive?"

"Sam," Quorra started, "The Grid would be in shambles because of what happened with Clu and…and your father. You'd need to really work hard on getting it back to its feet…"

"Maybe I  _can_  do that," Sam told her, gripping her arms and grinning, "I just need a little help…"

He picked up his phone and tossed it into the air, powering it up and hitting a number on speed-dial.

 _"Samuel Garret Flynn…"_  came Alan's annoyed growl,  _"Do you have any_ idea _what time it is?!"_

"Sounds like Tron when we woke him from his sleep cycle," Quorra muttered, turning back to her book while Sam shot her a glare.

"Yeah, Al, I know," Sam sighed, "Look, I need you to meet me at the Arcade…it's important,"

She heard Alan groaning from the other side of the phone.

 _"Fine. But if you're pulling something over me, Sam, I can_ still _hurt you,"_

"Scarily like Tron," Quorra deadpanned quietly before Sam grabbed his coat and walked out the door.

When he came back, Sam looked completely exhausted.

"I  _told_  you that it would take a lot of work," Quorra smirked, not even looking up as Sam flopped onto the bed and immediately fell asleep.

Less than an hour…maybe two…later, Sam's phone rang.

"Sam, pick up the phone," Quorra said, annoyed at being pulled out of her book.

Sam gave a tired groan and looked at the phone's screen, scowling angrily.

"He's getting back at me for waking him up," he grumbled, "Alan…do you have any idea what time it is?"

There was a pause and then Sam sighed, wiping his face.

"Alright, alright I'm sorry. Now what do you want?"

Another pause.

"Well good for him. Now if that's all I'm going to go back to bed…"

Sam was silent, blinking in shock before turning to Quorra…who was currently back in her book and ignoring Sam and Alan's conversation.

"Well…wasn't expecting that for a question…"

He winced at Alan's warning tone.

"Alright! Ok, so when I brought Quorra out of the Grid she had her armor too…couldn't get her out of the friggin' thing so I had to cut her out of it," he gave a wicked grin and started going in again, "I won't go into details but she…just wow,"

He held the phone away from his ear as Alan snapped at him.

"I'm just messin' with you!" Sam protested, "I made a cut down the nape of her neck down to her lower back, she got out of it easy enough. But then again, Tron's got a full on body suit,"

He looked at Quorra, wondering if she'd heard him…she hadn't. She was too absorbed in her book.

"Make a cut down his arms and then peel the suit away. I warn you…I don't know what it's made of but it's like Kevlar or something,"

He paused, listening to Alan before snorting.

"She's got a seven-book volume of Jules Verne that she bought today, what do you think?"

Quorra didn't even look up and Sam shook his head.

"I'll see if I can pull her out of the center of the earth. If I come in tomorrow with a book-shaped bruise on my head I'm blaming you,"

He hung up and walked over to Quorra, putting a hand on her shoulder and making her jump.

"Saaam!" she whined, "I was just getting to the  _good_  part!"

"I know you were," Sam told her, "But Alan needs us,"

"For  _what_?" She groused.

"I was too tired to tell you," Sam apologized, "But we found someone… _two_  someones on the Grid…one was very badly hurt and the other wasn't going to leave his side. They'd tried going to the city but the others nearly killed them both because of the hurt one,"

Quorra's blue eyes widened and the book dropped out of her hands. She made no move to get it, instead charging over to the coat-rack and pulling on her coat.

"Take me to Alan's," she told him.

"You didn't even let me tell you who they were," Sam protested.

"I don't need you to tell me," she said, "I  _know_ ,"

* * *

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* * *

Sam hadn't even put the bike in park before Quorra shot off it and charged up to the front door, pounding on it frantically. Alan and Lora's son, Jet, opened the door and nearly got bowled over by the ISO.

"What was  _that_  about?" Jet sputtered.

"She wanted in," was Sam's reply, right as a happy, definitely female squeal ripped through the house as well as a pained, male shout and a loud thud.

Sam and Jet came in just to see Quorra embracing a blonde woman dressed completely in white armor and sobbing almost hysterically.

"Hey, Yori," Sam waved, "Where's…"

"Getting a bath," Jet cut him off, "Mom said he was covered in this sticky black stuff,"

"She  _also_  told you to get some clothes for him," Yori told him, "I heard her,"

"I'm goin' I'm goin'," Jet muttered while Sam laughed.

"C'mon," Quorra beamed, releasing her near death-grip on Yori and pulling her towards Lora and Alan's room, "Let's get you out of that and into something clean,"

The two Programs basically raided Lora's closet, Quorra showing Yori where everything went  _after_  Quorra had ransacked the place for a pair of scissors.

"How did they find you?" Quorra asked, eyes wide but very  _very_  happy.

"We were by the Portal," Yori told her, shivering at the cold breeze against her bare skin, "Alan-One and Sam Flynn came through and they brought us here,"

Quorra helped Yori with the buttons on her shirt, smiling as Yori pulled her long blond hair out of the collar and giving it a shake, letting it fall naturally to her shoulders.

"You look like a real User now," Quorra grinned.

Yori gave a smile and walked out with Quorra…right as Lora's voice echoed through the house.

"We're going to have to get you some new clothes then," she said, "You and Yori both,"

"Speaking of Yori, where is she?" Alan asked.

"Here," Yori said as she and Quorra walked in to see Alan, Lora, Jet, Sam…

And  _Tron_.

Quorra's heart leaped and then ached as she saw the horrific scarring on the great Protector's face…what he had been hiding under that terrible ebon helmet.

Tron immediately stiffened and then hung his head in shame as Quorra's ice blue gaze landed on him.

The ISO walked up to him, standing mere inches from him.

"Is it you?" she asked, "Sam said it was…but…"

"I understand your caution," the former Monitor interrupted, "But it is me,"

His voice…oh Users…this wasn't the Tron she remembered. This was a broken and reformed version!

"Would you mind if I ask you a question first?" Quorra asked, "Just to be sure?"

Tron gave a nod.

"What did Tron say to Anon when he first saw me?"

A pained smile painted itself over the Monitor's face.

"I said, 'She looks like she's looking for trouble. Look after her'," Tron said, "It was…amusing…when Anon went back to Flynn and started complaining about all the trouble you got yourself into. Something about you being the 'most inquisitive, most likely to get herself or me derezzed ISO' that he had ever met. He kept asking why I had made him watch over you. He stopped complaining not long after that though. I was sorry that he had derezzed. He was the best that I trained…other than you, Quorra,"

Quorra's smile brightened and she gave the shocked Monitor an embrace.

"I'm glad you're back, Tron," she beamed, releasing him and letting Yori take her normal position next to Tron's side.

"You look good," Yori smiled.

"And you as well," he replied.

Yori's cheeks flared a delicate shade of pink as she rubbed the back of her neck.

Both of them had their circuit marks showing, Tron's on his hands and Yori's on her arms and right under her neck.

"You both look good," Lora said, "But it's kinda late, er, early. It might be a good idea to get some sleep,"

She turned to Quorra.

"You want to take the guest room with Yori? While Sam and Jet share a room?"

"Sure," the ISO smiled, "I've got my book so I'm all set,"

"You're separating us…again?" Yori asked.

"Just until we get everything finalized," Alan reassured her, "Tron will be right here, not but ten feet from the door,"

Yori opened her mouth to protest, but Tron gently squeezed her shoulder, reassuring her that he would be fine.

* * *

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* * *

Quorra woke up to a loud crash and a hoarse scream. Her blood froze as she recognized it as Tron's. She had just gotten up…only to see Yori streak out of the room.

"What in the world is going on?" came Jet's voice as he and everyone else came in, looking at the panicking Monitor as he lay on the floor.

Tron grabbed Jet's cat, Zap, off his back and looked at it.

Zap purred and rubbed its head against the frozen monitor's chest. Alan started chuckling as Tron threw him a plaintive look.

" _Zap_!" Jet groaned, walking forwards and picking up the grey, furry cat off of Tron's lap, "I've been looking all over for you,"

"So  _that's_  a Zap," Yori announced.

"No…it's a cat," Quorra corrected, "Sam told me that Zap's what they call a cat. Sam's got a dog,"

"It's a Gridbug," Tron deadpanned, still not moving.

Zap gave a loud meow and squirmed out of Jet's arms, jumping to the ground and prancing up to Tron, sitting on his lap again. She butted her head against his hand only to rub her cheek along his fingers.

Tron examined zap with that 'fight-or-flight' way that both Monitors shared. Cautious curiosity Flynn had called it.

He poked the bell on Zap's collar, making it chime and Zap purred. Tron froze, eyes wild and yet apologetic. He looked up at his User.

"Alan-One…I think I broke the Zap-bug," he apologized.

And that was when Jet lost it.

"Tron, her name is  _Zap_  and she's purring…cats do that when they're happy," he explained, laughing.

"Oh…so I bet Rinzler was happy all the time then?" Sam quipped.

Faster than anyone could see, Sam was on his stomach with Tron kneeling on his back.

"Do not  _ever_  say that again," Tron hissed angrily, "You have  _no_  idea what I have been through. You will  _never_  know,"

"Apologize, Sam," Alan ordered.

"I was just joking!" the Flynn protested.

"SAM!"

"Alright!" Sam yelped as Tron's iron grip on his arm tightened, "I'm sorry, I didn't know…"

"You do now," the Monitor replied as he released the man, "Think before you speak or act, it will save you from the trouble that you cause…then again, you  _are_  a Flynn and trouble follows you,"

"I'll remem…wait…hey!" Sam sputtered while everyone started cracking up.

"May I remind you of when you got yourself thrown into the Games and nearly got yourself derezzed?"

"Because  _someone_  reversed gravity!"

"It isn't my fault if you can't pay attention to your surroundings,"

Sam opened his mouth, wanting to say something but he wisely shut up.

"Lesson learned I would say," the Monitor smiled.

Quorra gave a smile of her own. Even scarred both mentally and physically…Tron's warm smile still made her heart feel lighter.


	18. A New Family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one takes a place a little over a year from the last chapter. Tron and Yori have had a son named Beck, if you want to see his story, go onto my Fanfiction page (same penname) and take a look. The story is called Son of Tron.
> 
> This chapter introduces the child in Radia's vision a few chapters ago.

Chapter 18

A New Family

"I feel like I'm carrying around a bowling ball all the time," Quorra grumbled, crossing her arms, then wincing as a sharp, quick pain pounded against her stomach, "Ow! Ok! I'm sorry!"

"You'll be fine, dear," Sam chuckled, kissing her on the cheek, "It won't be much longer,"

"You're  _sure_?"

"I'm sure," he told her, "Yori went through it two months ago…and we found out you were about two months after  _her_  announcement,"

"Still no use keeping me on house arrest," she groused.

"What do you think Tron did to me?" came a familiar voice as Yori walked into the room, a soft smile lighting up her face.

"Hey, Yori," Sam nodded, "Where's the little guy?"

"Beck's with his father," Yori grinned, "Tron never lets the boy out of his sight. At least…as long as he can help it,"

"He's going to be a regular Daddy's boy, isn't he?" Sam chuckled.

"He certainly seems to connect to Tron better," Yori shrugged, "But, most Child Programs are like that. They connect with one parent better than the other even though they love them both the same,"

Her dark blue gaze seemed to laser in on Quorra, making the ISO turn her head slightly downwards as she put a hand on her swollen abdomen. Yori was right…Child Programs, be it ISO or Basic, tended to connect with one parent over the other. She had with Jalen just as Beck had with Tron. The little guy even  _looked_  like the older Monitor…just like she looked a lot like Jalen.

What she  _really_  hoped, was that as a Child Basic, Beck saw more of his mother's memories than any of his father's. Tron had a very traumatic history…there was no telling what would happen if Beck saw Tron's memories, the Coup, Anon's silencing, his Repurposing…

Quorra shuddered. Whatever happened…she doubted it would be good.

A strong kick, however, broke her train of thought.

"Ow!" she whined, glaring halfheartedly at her unborn child, "Ok, now that  _really_  hurt!"

She turned and turned her glare at Sam, making Yori laugh.

"He's going to be  _exactly_  like you, Sam Flynn," she groused, "I can  _feel_  it,"

"He's got his mother in there somewhere," Sam dismissed, "Because he doesn't know when to  _quit_ ,"

Quorra took her pillow and smacked Sam in the midsection, making his breath whoosh out and Yori start to laugh.

"How about I go get some food?" he asked meekly, "Pizza sound good?"

"Sounds good to me," Yori shrugged, "Tron's bringing Beck over in a few minutes, so don't forget him,"

Sam nodded and turned to Quorra.

"And you my dear?"

Quorra closed an eye.

"I'll take a cheeseburger…you know the place,"

"A ten minute detour for my wrathful pregnant wife," Sam grinned, bowing dramatically.

Quorra took the pillow again and launched it, smacking Sam in the head.

"Nice shot," Yori praised, "You've been practicing,"

"I had to do  _something_  while locked in the house," Quorra shrugged as Sam straightened, rubbing his head before kissing Quorra on the cheek and walking out the door…

"Where are you off to in such a hurry?" a low, baritone voice asked as Sam slipped out the door.

"Lunch run," Sam replied as his voice got fainter and fainter, "I'll be back!"

"Just in time," Yori grinned as Tron walked in, cradling a small form in his arms, "Hello, Tron,"

"Seems I came in at the right time," Tron hummed, his steely gaze nearly glowing with amusement, "You need  _someone_  to watch over you,"

"Maybe," Yori smiled, "Now come on, let me have our son,"

Tron shot her a plaintive look…but at one look from Yori, handed the boy over to his mother.

"Hey there sweetheart," Yori cooed, gently touching the boy's nose and making the sleeping child wake up.

Quorra smiled as she saw little Beck reach up to grab a strand of Yori's hair and yank, his own steel-blue gaze transfixed by the swinging lock of hair.

"Ouch!" Yori laughed, detangling her hair from his tiny fingers, "Beck, you know better than to grab people's hair,"

The baby gave a sweet coo and a smile lit up his tiny face as he batted at his mother's hands. Quorra gave a tired smile.

"If my little guy's going to be anything like that…I can't wait for him to get here," she said.

"And then you'll have to be up at three in the morning every night," Tron deadpanned, "He sleeps most of the day and stays up  _all night_ ,"

"He's a night owl like his father," Yori sighed, "Which isn't a good thing since he cries loud enough to wake the whole house…and doesn't care that his grandparents have to get to Encom by eight or his uncle has to get to school by six,"

That made Quorra laugh, such a little thing could cause so much trouble…then again, he  _was_  Tron's son.

* * *

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* * *

Within a few days, Quorra had gone into labor, and while Sam reacted pretty much the same way Tron had when Beck was born…he was  _nowhere_  near as bad. It just took Tron's strong grip locked around his arms to keep him from charging in, though the Security Program had a nice bruise to show for it.

Hours had passed and Quorra's cries of pain were increasing until  _finally_  a new life joined the world.

He was tiny, smaller than even Beck had been, but according to Lora, who had been there for Sam's birth, Flynns tended to be small when they were born through their childhood, only to shoot way  _way_  up in their teens. But Quorra didn't care.

This little boy in her arms, that she had carried all this time, was absolutely  _perfect_.

Sam came in slowly, his sky-colored eyes looking at his wife and now at his son.

"Look who's here!" Quorra cooed to the baby and then turned up to Sam, "Say hello to the second Son of Flynn, Sam. Kevin Jeffery Flynn II,"

Sam's knees buckled and he stumbled over to his wife, cautiously reaching out to touch the baby's tiny arm…noticing the faint silvery-white lines that ran along the boy's arms, chest, back and legs, noticing the tiny ISO glyph on his arm.

"Quorra…" Sam breathed, "He's…he's perfect…"

"Do you want to hold him?" she asked.

Sam gave a mute nod, blinking rapidly as tears of joy pricked at his eyes. Quorra gently handed the tiny child to his father and Sam cradled him gently.

"Hey there, kiddo," he whispered, "Glad to finally meet you,"

The baby's eyes fluttered open, a brilliant icy blue that matched Quorra's.

"He's got your eyes," Sam said, looking at Quorra.

"But he looks a lot like you too," Quorra replied, watching as Sam gently kissed the blond, curly head and gave him back to her, "More like you than me,"

A soft knock came at the door and both new parents looked up to see Alan standing in the door.

"Is it safe for us to come in?" he asked.

Quorra nodded and the group made their way into the small hospital room. Yori held Beck close to her…the two month old looking around the room as if he were searching for something. Quorra motioned for Yori to bring Beck close and the Simulations Program did, Tron not far behind her.

Yori brought Beck close to Kevin and the Child Basic's steel gaze flicked to the half-ISO in Quorra's arms. He reached out, his tiny hand stretching and trying to touch the baby…but Yori was a little too far from Quorra.

"I think he likes him," Quorra smiled, "Something tells me those two are going to be the best of friends,"

"You and me both," Yori returned with a smile of her own.

Sam and Tron looked at each other.

"You want to know what  _I_  think?" Sam whispered to the Monitor.

Tron's head tilted slightly and he raised an eyebrow, motioning for Sam to continue.

"I think those two are going to be  _so_  much trouble,"

"For once, Sam Flynn…we are in agreement," Tron chuckled, "One's a Flynn and the other is  _my_  son…they won't find trouble…trouble will find  _them_ ,"

* * *

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* * *

It wasn't until the boys both learned to walk that they realized Tron's words were  _so_  true.

Kevin inherited his mother's curiosity, he got into everything and anything he could. Beck was just as bad if not  _worse_. The little Child Basic inherited his father's knack for getting into things he shouldn't. But he, unlike Kevin most of the time, managed to get out of them. It did seem that Beck had gotten most of his father's abilities (i.e his uncanny ability to know when there was trouble or danger) but it was Kevin's that worried Quorra a bit.

The little half-User didn't have his parent's fighting ability…or at least, not that Quorra noticed. So he didn't take after Sam or Quorra (or Jalen for that matter). Kevin was actually quiet…except when he was around his cousin (more like brother. The two were nearly inseparable!)

But one night, four years after Kevin was born, Quorra was woken up by a high-pitched, shrill scream. She jumped out of bed and raced to her son's room, rushing to Kevin's bedside. What she saw stunned her a little.

Kevin's circuit lines glowed almost blindingly bright, his glowing ice-blue eyes were open but it was like he wasn't seeing what was in front of him. Quorra picked him up and held him close.

"Easy, easy, it's ok," she whispered softly as Kevin's struggling and crying started to die down, "I've got you, you're safe,"

Kevin's little hands grabbed her nightgown and his blond head buried itself in her shoulder.

"What happened, sweetheart?" she asked, stroking his back as she sat in the rocking chair.

"B-Bad dweam," Kevin sobbed, "Weally,  _weally_  bad!"

"Do you want to tell me about it?"

Kevin shuddered and nodded.

"I see Beck, Mommy," he started, "But he  _big_! He look like Unca Twevor! An' I big too! We were in a dark place wit' yewwow an' wed stripes  _awl_  over da place! An' me and Beck was  _glowing_! Pretty blue! But bad man hit me an' Beck. Beck turn red an' went 'grrrrr' awl da time an' try to hurt Unca Twevor…an' I turn yewwow an' I feel sick an' evewyting I touch turn sick too…"

He turned his ice-blue gaze to his mother, tears streaming down his face.

"I don' wanna turn sick like gwandpa!" he cried, "I wanna be like my other gwandpa!"

Quorra froze.

"What do you  _mean_  sick?" she asked slowly, "Which grandpa? Grandpa Alan? Your daddy's Daddy?"

"No," Kevin shook his head, pointing at her, "Your Daddy. Da one you look like,"

Quorra blinked rapidly and put both hands on her son.

"How did you know my daddy was sick?"

"I saw it," Kevin admitted softly, "In a dweam,"

Quorra blinked again, trying to compute what was being said. Could it be? Did Kevin inherit Radia's gift?

No…that wasn't possible! They weren't on the Grid…

"It was just a bad dream," Quorra told him, rocking him gently, "How about I stay with you tonight, ok?"

"Otay,"

As Quorra rocked her boy to sleep, she couldn't help thinking about what he said. He  _knew_  about Jalen, even though they never mentioned him. Sam didn't even  _know_  that she was Jalen and Radia's daughter. The only ones who knew were Tron and Yori and she'd told them not to say anything.

She gave a sigh.

She'd talk to them about it in the morning. After all…Kevin  _couldn't_  have that gift. The way he was describing it…he'd have been on the Grid.

And that wasn't going to happen.

Right?


	19. School Days

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kevin is six at the beginning of this chapter and 13 by the end of it. 
> 
> At the end...let's just say, Kevin's a bit of a troublemaker and decided that he and Beck were going to take their teacher's classroom and put it up on the roof.

Chapter 19

School Days

The sun was just beginning to filter through the windows, Quorra nestled closer into Sam's chest, reveling in the feel of his strong arm wrapped around her waist. It couldn't have been more perfect…

The door flew open with a very happy human squeal as someone rushed in.

"Mom! Mommy! C'mon! We gotta go!" Kevin squealed, "Daddy! Get up!

He hopped up on the bed…and right onto Sam's midsection, making the older Flynn's breath rush out.

"Your son's awake," Quorra murmured as Kevin jumped up and down on the bed repeatedly chirping 'Mom' and/or 'Dad'.

"Before sunrise he's  _your_  son," Sam growled back.

"First day of school!" Kevin chirped still hopping around, "First day of school! Wake up, wake up! C'mon, first day of school!"

"I don't wanna go to school," Sam groaned, "Five more minutes,"

"Not you, Dad," Kevin shook his blond curls, " _Me_!"

"Okay...huh?" Sam mumbled as Kevin leaped off the bed, landing with an easy grace before racing around the other side of the bed and shaking his mother.

"Get up! Get up! It's time for school! It's time for school! It's time for school! It's time for school!"

"All right, I'm up," Quorra yawned, "Go get ready…I'll make breakfast, okay?"

"Kay!" Kevin chirped, bounding off out of the room.

Sam sat up with a groan as Quorra got out of the bed.

"I say we do one of two things," Sam said, holding up two fingers and ticking them off as he counted, "One: We lay off the sugar with him. Two: We load him up with sugar and let him take out his hyperness on his teacher,"

"Sam Flynn!" Quorra glowered, "We are  _not_  sending Kevin to school with a sugar rush!"

Sam gave a sigh and Quorra shuddered.

"Users, he's bad  _enough_ when he's  _not_  hyper!" she explained.

* * *

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* * *

"I don't see Beck," Kevin stated as he stood on his tiptoes, looking around for his 'cousin'.

"He'll be here, Kev, don't worry," Sam reassured him.

"I'm  _not_  worried!" Kevin huffed, crossing his little arms, "I'm gonna get  _bored_  if Beck's not there!"

 _"And User of Users forbid he gets bored,"_  Quorra thought with a shudder.

The  _last_  time he'd gotten bored, he'd taken the slingshot he'd pieced together with Beck and shot at the wall…he broke a flower vase and left five holes in the drywall.

"You're not gonna be bored, Kev,  _trust_  me," Sam told him, "Besides…there he is now,"

Kevin's head snapped over to the side, zeroing in on Alan's car right as Beck stepped out, his little hands white-knuckled as he gripped the straps. Quorra saw Tron kneel down in front of his son and speak softly to him, Yori standing to the side with a proud smile on her face while Beck scuffed the ground with a shoe before looking up at his father and replying back. Tron wrapped his son in an embrace and Quorra's heart ached.

Finally, after all the poor Monitor had been through, he was happy and at ease. Yori said something to them both and Beck's eyes flickered with that same mischievous gleam that Yori's had whenever she ganged up on Clu with Anon for a prank. Yori shook a finger at him and Beck gave a sheepish smile.

"Now, you be a good boy, ok Kevin?" Quorra asked, looking at her son.

"I'll be good, Mommy," Kevin dismissed, waving a hand and making Quorra's heart hurt at the familiar gesture, "I'll see you later!"

He reached up and gave Quorra a hug, the ISO hugged her hybrid son back, smiling as she let go and he ran off towards his cousin…who was reluctant to leave his parents' side. Eventually, Kevin managed to get Beck inside and Quorra walked over to Tron and Yori, the former who was looking at the building critically.

"It's hard to see them go, isn't it?" Quorra asked.

"You have no idea," Yori sighed, "To be fair, Beck wanted to go as much as we wanted him to,"

"You mean he  _didn't_  want to go?"

"We nearly had to pry him off his bedroom door with a crowbar," came Tron's deadpan, "He did not want to go and  _bolted_  every time someone said the word 'school',"

"Poor guy," Sam said with a grin, "Who told him the horror stories?"

"Jet,"

* * *

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* * *

Kevin came back from the school, looking a little dejected.

"What's wrong?" Quorra asked, "Didn't you have a good day?"

" _I_ did," Kevin told her, "But Beck didn't,"

"Oh?"

"A bunch of kids started pickin' on him," Kevin sighed, climbing up on a stool next to the counter and propping his head up on his elbows, "They pushed him in the mud and ripped up a drawing he did and they laughed at him because of his name and because of Uncle Trevor,"

"Why would they do that?"

"'Cause they think that Uncle Trevor isn't Grandma Lora's son," Kevin shrugged, "An' they think that Beck's got a girl's name,"

His head thunked down on the counter.

"I couldn't help him," Kevin grumbled, "He kicked a kid in the shin 'cause they picked on me a little 'cause I was with him, I shoulda nailed 'em,"

Quorra rubbed her son's shoulders, kissing his blond, curly head.

"You did what you could, and knowing Beck and how much he's like his father…if you did anything and got hurt he'd never forgive himself…Sometimes I think his father has yet to do that,"

"Why?" Kevin asked, "What happened to Uncle Trevor to make him mad at himself?"

Quorra gave a sad smile and ruffled the blond curls.

"Maybe one day I'll tell you, but you're too young,"

* * *

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* * *

 _6_   _years later_

"Beck ran out of the house awful quick this morning," Yori explained as she and Quorra walked into the living room.

"Kevin too," Quorra nodded, "I've never seen him so eager to get to school,"

"Same," Yori hummed, "Something tells me that something  _bad_  is going to happen,"

"Knowing those two…most definitely," Quorra deadpanned.

The phone rang and Sam went to answer it, the two former Programs could hear Sam's confusion and entered the room right as he set the phone down in its cradle.

"Something wrong?" Tron asked.

"That was the school," Sam sighed, "Beck and Kevin are in the principal's office…they want us to be there,"

"Should we be worried?" Yori asked.

"It could be nothing," Sam dismissed, "All I know is that we need to go before they  _really_  get in trouble,"

* * *

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* * *

The group of adults walked into the building, going straight to the office…where two very smug/annoyed boys sat. Quorra nearly did a double-take at the boys, violently reminded of her own past. Kevin shared the same look that Anon did whenever he got 'caught' doing something he wasn't supposed to do. It was scary how much he looked like Flynn, Clu and Anon all three.

Beck…Quorra had seen that look only  _once_ …and that was when Yori showed her a picture of what she and Tron  _used_  to look like on the Old Server. And just like Kevin looked like Flynn…It was like a miniature Tron sat next to him, right down to the straight-as-a-ruler posture that Beck exhibited while Kevin's easy slouch reflected Flynn's.

"Beck?" Tron asked, making the boy's head whip up and lock right on Tron's face.

"Dad, um, hi?" Beck stammered as Tron sat down next to him.

The Monitor turned to Sam as he sat down, followed by Yori and Quorra.

"Do you have any idea why we are here?" Tron asked Sam.

"No clue," Sam admitted.

"I thought only kids in trouble went to the principal's office?" Yori asked.

"Normally…yeah," Sam replied cagily.

"Something tells me you've been in here before," Quorra accused.

"Too many times to count," Sam stated cheekily.

Quorra then whirled on her son.

"Kevin…you didn't do anything wrong, did you?"

"Mom, seriously, would  _I_  do anything like that?" Kevin protested, batting his ice-blue eyes up at his mother's matching ones.

"Beck…" Tron growled softly, "Did you do anything that would land you here?"

"Nope," Beck answered, locking his steely gaze with his father's own.

"I apologize for the short notice," the Principal, Ms. Angelo, started as she sat down at her desk, another teacher trailing her, "But it's come to my attention that the boys are playing pranks on their teachers,"

"I'll say," the boys' teacher growled, "They're disruptive influences. And they openly mock me in front of my class…"

" _He_  says," Beck muttered.

"I  _know_  it's you two!" the teacher snapped before turning back to the four parents, "They took everything in my classroom and put it on the roof in the exact same positions. They put thumbtacks on my chair, tape pictures on my back…"

"You  _saw_  them do this?" Quorra demanded, shooting Kevin a glare that made the younger ISO flinch.

"Well…no…not rea-but that isn't the point!" the teacher spluttered.

"May I ask on what you base your theories on?" Tron asked, "In all honesty Mr….Burgermonst…"

"Meister, Dad," Beck corrected hurriedly.

"Burgermeister," Tron apologized, "In all honesty, those things you claimed the boys of doing are…for lack of a better term…tame. We see the practical jokes that they pull at home and they…are a bit extreme in some cases,"

"But…!"

"What I mean to say is…do you have any proof that our sons did indeed do the feats you claim them of doing," Tron finished.

"…No…"

"I believe the saying goes…'Innocent until proven guilty'?" Tron asked.

"Are you not from here?" the teacher asked Tron.

The Monitor stiffened, his eyes blinking gold and making Quorra flinch. They'd only just recently found out that Rinzler was still in Tron…and that the Enforcer had a nasty habit of trying to come out. He only did it when Yori or Beck were in danger, but it still frightened Quorra.

"Perhaps…" he started and his eyes blinked blue again, making Quorra relax a bit, "And perhaps not, but that is no concern to you. Our concern is our sons which you have accused of humiliating you,"

The teacher's face turned bright red in anger.

"Mike…" the Principal started.

"Don't you  _Mike_  me!" the teacher snarled, "THOSE LITTLE RATS ARE  _GUILTY_!"

Tron abruptly stood, his six foot three frame towering over the teacher and principal both, his eyes burning reddish amber as a low growl built up in his throat. Quorra's own heart leaped in her throat as she heard the dark snarling sound. She cast a frightened look at Beck and Kevin, both of whom were staring at Tron in varying amounts of shock. Kevin had never seen Rinzler in action, but Beck had.

"Trevor!" Yori whispered, grabbing his arm and trying to yank him back down but failing.

Sam noticed what was going on and grabbed Rinzler's arm, shooting an apologetic look at the two school staff members. He hissed something into Rinzler's ears and Rinzler's body stopped vibrating. Rinzler's eyes dimmed to a steel blue and Tron blinked a few times before sitting down once again.

"You and your sons can go now, Mr. and Mrs. Flynn, Mr. and Mrs. Bradley," Ms. Angelo said, clearing her throat, "I'm…sorry for the inconvenience,"

"You're letting them  _go_!?" Mr. Burgermeister demanded, as they all stood and Tron placed a hand on Beck's shoulder, guiding him out, "AGAIN!? THEY'RE GUILTY! YOU CAN SEE IT IN THEIR SMUG LITTLE FACES!"

And the door shut.

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"Of all the irresponsible things you could have  _ever_  done!" Quorra fumed as they walked back into the house, " _How_  could you  _do_  that!?"

"Hey, I think Uncle Trevor put it the right way," Kevin protested, "Innocent until proven guilty!"

"I've been around your father, grandfather and uncle  _far_  too long to fall for that Kevin," Quorra growled, facing her son, eyes spitting sparks, "You  _did_  do it, and you got Beck in on it too!"

"He wanted to," Kevin stated before wincing and facepalming.

She got him.

"And this is why I never win," he grumbled, "Because you know  _everything_!"

"Consider yourself grounded Kevin Jeffery Flynn," Quorra stated, "For a month,"

"A  _month_!?" Kevin sputtered, "For  _what_!?"

"For disrespecting an elder  _and_  for lying to your mother," Sam told him, "Now, to your room,"

"I'm thirteen, Dad," Kevin growled, "I'm not a kid!"

"I said, go to your room,"

"Why?" Kevin snarked, "You're just going to have to let me back out again,"

"Go. To. Your. Room," Quorra snarled, ice dripping off her voice as the circuit marks on her hands and arms seemed to glow.

"AGH! FINE!" Kevin snapped, his own markings flaring brightly as he stormed off and slammed the door so hard that the house shuddered.

"I  _hate_  it when he does that," Quorra sighed.

"Slamming the door or blowing up?" Sam asked.

"Both," Quorra grumbled, "He gets his temper from me…"

"You don't say?" Sam deadpanned.

"He gets his disobedience from  _you_ ," Quorra reminded him.

"Uh, I think that might actually be both of us," Sam corrected, "According to Tron and Yori, you used to be a troublemaker,"

"Key word  _used_  to,"

She looked at the door and shook her head.

"I hate grounding him,"

"Look at it this way," Sam told her, putting his arms around her, "Tron's probably doing the same to Beck…you  _know_  how he feels about that,"

"But we have to," Quorra told him, "They're gonna get out of hand if we don't nip it in the bud  _now_ ,"

"I couldn't agree more,"


	20. Serenity and Chaos

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter takes place when Kevin is 18, it is a pivotal point in the Son of Tron story. To put it simply, There was an accident involving Beck and Tron, the former being hurt so badly that they had to take him to the Grid to fix him...and that starts them on the road to an AU version of Tron: Uprising.

Chapter 20

Serenity and Chaos

Quorra sat on the couch next to Sam and across from Yori and Alan. Kevin was on a five month long trip with his school for a community service expedition, Jet was with his wife, and Lora was out shopping.

"Where's Tron?" Quorra asked.

"Out with Beck," Yori replied, "Beck conned his father into going on a motorcycle ride with him,"

"Not a race?" Sam asked, only for Quorra to nudge him hard, "What? It's not like Beck's gonna  _win_! I mean, he's  _good_  but not  _that_  good,"

"Tron doesn't like getting on the motorcycles, remember?" Yori reminded him, "I mean he  _does_ , but his competitiveness comes out and he goes into that 'live or die' mode that he always had in the Games,"

"In other words, he might accidently make Beck or anyone else wreck," Alan clarified for Sam, "He even said himself that it's hard keeping a lid on Rinzler when he's riding. Hence why he only rides when it's him and even then late at night when no one else is around,"

Suddenly, Alan's phone rang. The older man dug the silver device out of his pocket and looked at the caller ID.

"Speaking of my Program…" he murmured, unlocking the phone and putting it on speaker, "Tron…is everything ok?"

What they heard, nearly stopped Quorra's heart.

_"B-Beck…hurt…h-help…A-Arcade…A-Alan-One, p-please!"_

"We'll be right there, don't move," Alan ordered, turning towards the others, "Sam, Yori let's go!"

"I'll come too," Quorra started.

"No," Sam said firmly, "If Tron snaps, and he might seeing as how Beck's hurt, Rinzler would  _kill_  you. I let you face him on your own once before…I'm not doing it again,"

"He might kill you too," Quorra returned angrily.

"I need him," Alan told her, "Sam's the strongest here. If Rinzler comes at us, Sam will at least buy us some time,"

Quorra gave a sigh and shook her head.

"Fine," she growled, "Just, be  _careful_! I don't want Kevin to find out his cousin and his father were hurt the same day,"

"I will be, I promise," Sam told her, kissing her forehead before jogging out the door after Alan and Yori.

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Sam came in later…different. It was like he'd seen something awful and heartbreaking.

"Sam?" Quorra asked, "What's wrong? Everything ok?"

"With me…yes,"

"How are Beck and Tron?"

Sam closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.

"You weren't too late were you!?" Quorra gasped.

"No," Sam shook his head, "Not exactly. When we got there…it was a mess. Blood everywhere. Most of it on Tron but I think that's because he was holding Beck,"

"What happened?"

"They were ambushed by one of those stupid gangs," Sam growled, clenching his fists as he sat down on the couch, "They fought back…Beck fell, hit his head on the sidewalk and cracked his skull open on the curb,"

Quorra's hands shot to her mouth and Sam continued.

"We took him into the Grid and Alan fixed the damage…or at least, that's what we thought," Sam sighed, looking up at his wife, "When Beck came to…he…he didn't remember  _anything_. He's a blank slate, doesn't even recognize us. He only recognized Tron as…well…the hero he was. He didn't remember that Tron was his dad,"

Sam wiped his face with his hand.

"And the worst part? Tron's scars opened up again," Sam muttered, "He can't come back out into our world or he'll bleed out. Beck might die if he comes out so they're both stuck there until they heal,"

"How are we going to know that?" Quorra asked, sitting down next to him, "The I/O towers were destroyed by Clu,"

"Tron thought of that," Sam told her, "Every year on Beck's birthday, two of us…Yori being one…come to the Grid and find them. The only problem…is that Tron didn't tell us where he was taking Beck, only that he had a place in mind,"

He shook his head.

"I wasn't planning on setting foot back in that place," he admitted, "Not after Dad died,"

"It's part of your heritage," Quorra reminded him, "I know your first time was a little dark, but the Grid is yours, Sam. Your father's legacy passed to you. And not only you,"

Sam looked up at his wife again, a faint, dead smile on his face.

"Kevin," he stated.

Quorra nodded.

"The Grid belongs to him just as much as you or me or Tron or Yori or Beck," Quorra told him, "It's in his blood, his code. One day he'll visit it…I just have a feeling that he won't be the same when he comes out,"

"If," Sam reminded her, "He's got a  _lot_  to growing up to do,"

"What are we going to tell him?" Quorra asked, "He'll be devastated,"

"Wait until he gets back from his trip," Sam told her, "The story we're going with is that Tron took Beck on a flight to the 'country' where you, him and Yori were from as a graduation present…the plane went down over the ocean and we haven't heard anything from anyone,"

"You're going to kill him," Quorra told him.

"What would you have me do?" Sam asked, "Tell him the truth? That his mother, aunt, uncle and cousin aren't  _human_? And that he's  _half_  human and half computer program? He'd either have us committed or he'd laugh at us,"

"Kevin wouldn't do that,"

"He's just as unpredictable as you. With him, it's always a surprise," Sam deadpanned, "Kevin can be hilariously funny one second and then deadly serious the next,"

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* * *

_Five Months Later_

"Hey! I'm home!" came Kevin's voice from downstairs as he opened the door, "Anyone want to give the prodigal son a hug?"

"It's so good to see you!" Quorra smiled, embracing her son and kissing his cheek, "Five months…too long for you to be away,"

"Yeah, I thought so too," Kevin smiled, returning the embrace before looking up, "Hey Dad,"

"Hey kiddo," Sam grinned, ruffling Kevin's blond waves and making the young hybrid scowl, "You're not too old for me to do that,"

Kevin rolled his eyes as his mother finally released him and he looked up at his parents.

"So, anything happen while I was gone? Oh! Hey! Is Tron still with Uncle Trevor and Aunt Yori? How is he? I mean, I haven't heard anything from him…I was thinking of going and visiting…"

He stopped, noticing the looks on his parents' faces.

"What?" he asked, closing an eye in suspicion, "What's going on? What haven't you told me?"

"Kev," Sam started, "Trevor took Beck on a flight to the country where he, Yori and your mother grew up…five months ago, the plane went down over the ocean…we haven't heard anything of survivors…"

Kevin seemed like he had glitched…or was made of ice, body frozen in disbelief. Finally he shook his head.

"Kevin…" Quorra started, reaching for him.

" _No_ ," he said firmly, batting her hand away, "Tron's at his parents'. He's ok…he has to be…it's not…"

The half-ISO trembled, shaking his head before his eyes flashed angrily and his jawline firmed.

"Kevin," Sam tried.

"NO!" Kevin yelled, eyes and light-lines flashing brightly before he dashed out the door, "I'll show you…he's not dead…he  _can't_  be!"

"Kevin!" Quorra cried, started out the door, only for Sam to catch her.

"Let him go," he told her, "I needed time when Dad disappeared…he needs it too,"

 _"But how long would that take?"_  Quorra thought.

* * *

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* * *

Epilogue

Four years later, Quorra and Sam found out that Kevin had taken himself to the Grid. Less than a year later, Tron, Rinzler and Beck came out with him. Beck still did not remember who he was to the families until he and Kevin returned back to the Grid where they met Kevin Flynn I, Kevin's grandfather and Beck sustained injury once more on his head. The boys successfully led the Uprising through many upsets. Both boys had been Repurposed, Kevin following in his grandfather Jalen's footsteps and becoming the Grid's second Virus along with being the host of the Abraxas Virus for an extended amount of time. It was discovered that Kevin had indeed inherited Radia's gift of Seeing as Quorra had feared and Radia had foreseen. He discovered that the Grid was purging Herself of the virus that Clu had put in the ocean to deter the formation of new ISOs. With the help of his family, he was able to try and correct the problem while the assault on Tron City occurred. Quorra was reunited with her parents and openly declared herself as daughter of Radia and Jalen before the Uprising.


End file.
